King of Darkness
by Alpha Centauri
Summary: A phoenix, however injured, torn, broken... shattered... rises up from the ashes more powerful than before... [YuriyKai]
1. Ch 1 Now

**A.C.**: Because of life changing changes and other crap I decided to revamp this whole thing. Wait, don't kill me yet, it's not like I got rid of the story for good, just tweaked it a little so it's not in Kai's POV all the time. Why? Life changing crap, my writing style changed and my English has been degraded into those of a fourth graders --;;

And so for your continuous entertainment as you wordings and for my... relatively un-salvageable dignity and pride I bring you the revamped version of the original 'King of Darkness'

Plus a few extra chapters in case you still want to kill me and all

-

-

Two genetic perfections, born to battle, born to fight, and soon doomed to die. Beyblading was just another facade in their life, a disguise to move freely through out the sea of humans as they picked off their targets one by one. And that's how their lives had always been, continuing cycles of deaths and rebirths, no small wonder Dranzer the phoenix bit beast had been revered as the symbol of Balkov Abbey before being perverted into her darker counter part.

But for now they were two boys, two sexually frustrated boys as the struggled to keep their voices down and their movements to minimum, which was getting harder by the minute as they ground their hips into each others.

They fought for dominance or some type of control over the other. Both were wild elements, both were chaotic, uncontrollable. They fought to tame each other in a locked position as their limbs slithered pleasurably against each other as the bigger came on top and the smaller, submissive.

Blood pooled over the crescent wells left in Kai's struggle. He had found another place in the paler shoulders and was digging his nails into it as Yuriy clamped his jaws over his neck in an attempt to keep silent. The bed creaked and repetitively jerky snores continued from beyond the walls. One last time before yet another mission and they were determined to make it last.

With an animalistic moan Kai came first followed by Yuriy coating their firm stomachs with their seed. Yuriy rolled off burying his face into the silken silver hair of Kai.

"Are you sure?" murmured Yuriy as the lids began to close over the crimson eyes. The silver lashes fluttered then stilled,

"Yeah," Yuriy wrapped his arms around the shorter blader tracing the blue triangles on the cheeks touching the neckline before tickling the newest hickie added onto the peach column.

"You know fail..." Kai swallowed the next words with a kiss before sleepily looking into the icy glare of Yuriy's eyes.

"Yeah, I know."

Betrayal was not something to be taken lightly.

Yuriy sighed folding his arms over the bare skin of the other Russian

"I just wish it was under other circumstances..."

-

Kai walked up the steps to an overly elaborate dish where he would fight against Brooklyn. He whom Hitoshi had a hand in training, he who was supposed to pose as the ultimate challenge to one Kinomaya Takao, he who did not have a single interest in blading...

Kai gritted his teeth as he held out his launcher, life was a game and therefore game was life and... The equation did not match up. He had an order, failure was not an option. Even if it had meant sacrificing an arm and a leg to follow through the wishes of...

What was so special about Brooklyn? Kai wondered as Brooklyn mimicked his moves. He felt a twinge as Hitoshi stared intently at him, prodding him, provoking him, making sure that if and when he made a mistake he would be there shoving it all in his face. God knows how Hitoshi knew what was going on in the former team of Borg.

The blader raised for the sake of blading against the one born to blade.

Kai's body tensed as they began the countdown, the silly traffic light wannabe blinking red, yellow, and then green.

The blades shot out with a bang as they circled each other like cocks in a coral watching for weaknesses in an opponent. The blades crashed, whirled frantically against each other before bouncing off. Kai used his signature move only to back away in shock as it was shrugged off easily as spring rain and the redhead had countered it using a new and improved version of it.

Grinning mercilessly Brooklyn began to attack and it was then Kai realized that he had fallen into a trap. Sparing the smug looking Hitoshi a single glare Kai attacked the black blade while parrying off the copied moves, blow for blow countered.

A hit then Kai saw...

The shadows twisting into the form of a dark beast, a centaurian covered in gold armory flashing its magnificent wings. Brooklyn's bitbeast had finally revealed itself in all its glory baring fangs at Dranzer as his assaults began to grow stronger...

-

"Come on Kai!" Yelled Takao unnecessarily into the TV, the match to see who would become one of BEGA had been on all day, but it was the finals that they were interested in and it was the finals they got.

Brooklyn Vs. Kai

"I don't get it," the raven haired teen wondered stunned by the proceeding events. "How can this guy Brooklyn, copy Kai's signature move nevertheless wear him down this much!"

"Who cares!" Snarled Takao as he slammed his hands down on the TV, "Do something Kai! Dammit it's not like you to lose this easily!"

-

Jin, Hitoshi had appeared behind Kai in a mysterious spotlight that touched nothing but the two in an illuminating embrace as the elder spoke.

"Brooklyn is our representative, he is a genius when it comes to blading and I guess you can say... he was born to blade." The battle continued but Kai remained on his bloodied knees as Dranzer continued to lose ground to the bitbeast from the Greek mythologies. "Kai, you joined BEGA for the sole purpose of getting a chance to prove yourself against Takao." The slate haired trainer continued applying pressure from the other side. As if to prove his point the black blade crashed against Dranzer chipping the bits of her blue blade away... Kai was pushed back yet again but this time it gave him enough momentum to struggle up in anger towards Jin's statement.

"What do you know about me and Takao! How dare you!" Kai stood as another impact rippled through his insides, but he was not trained as a professional killer for nothing. Beyblading was a game, it should have been treated as such, but when the rule makers were Boris and Jin. Not when he was... Kai gasped clutching his stomach.

The crimson phoenix screamed as her chest feathers were slashed to ribbons.

"You don't know anything... how could you?" Kai spat at the ground tossing his scarf into the signal lights and effectively disabling them from ever working again. "The battle between me and Takao... it's not a simple matter of rivalry and male pride I wasn't able to let go..."

"I know more than you think Kai; it's always about pride. There is no room in BEGA for the likes of you... leave..." Kai growled silently in reply tossing away my scarf; Dranzer began to glow, no burn like a supernova in correspondence her keeper's anger.

_Howdaretheyhowdareheshe'sstillhereI'mstillherehe'snotherehe'snothereeitherhowdaretheyhowdareheshe'sstillhereI'mstillherehe'snotherehe'snothereeithergowdaretheyhowdareheshe'sstillhereI'mstillherehe'snotherehe'snothereeitherhowdaretheyhowdareheshe'sstillhereI'mstillherehe'snotherehe'snothereeither..._

Kai had never intended to be second best, not now, not when he was so close... his whole frame to shudder and he felt like the floor had just dropped out on him into the void.

'Is this how you felt Yuriy? Is this how you felt when you were defeated by Garland?'

Maelstrom of flames erupted around him as they launched their final attack. Brooklyn smiling nonchalantly dodged it with ease that sickened Kai to the core. What was he?

Kai panted in exhaustion, sweat gathering above his brow. Why? Why hadn't his attacks hit? A touch of cold understanding flooded his stomach, for Takao, an ultimate rival, one that had surpassed him.

They floated above the inky depths as it rippled in every direction drowning the light. It was funny really, in a sick twisted way. They were the perfect inverse of each other, Kai with black and Brooklyn in white, Brooklyn with darkness and Kai holding the flames, Brooklyn as a god and Kai as a mortal. Mentally smirking with these last thoughts Kai began to drown in the deep, the tar like waters sucking him in faster than quicksand.

"Enough Zeus, king of darkness..." the dark beast roared in agreement as the past victims began to scream behind it in a whirlpool of gray and black as the giant blades, claws tore through Dranzer dismantling her into slivers of metal and plastic.

Kai reached out towards the light... the last view being the shadows as he was blown off the platform and onto the concrete tiles below...

'_Rise like the phoenix and purge the darkness...'_

-

The rest of the world watched in muted horror as the phoenix fell with his blade demolished to the point where the only undamaged piece was the core... they never heard him as he whimpered through the haze of jagged lighting,

"_Yuriy..."_

-

"No, no!" yelled Takao as he grasped the screen jarring it till the pictures overlapped with static into a mixture of inverted colors.

"Ack calm down Takao! This is not the time!" Said Kyouji trying to help Ray and Max hold the blue haired Dragoon blader.

"Show me Kai, what happened to Kai!" demanded Takao as the screen changed from the white clad paramedics examining Kai in favor of capturing the sight of Jazzman announcing the five from BEGA who would attend the 5-on-5 match against Takao.

"And so we have our singing sensation Miming!" the crowd cheered as the amber eyed girl waved at the crowd smiling blowing kisses to the audience. "Garland!" the cyan haired blader held up his hand smiling slightly at the roar of approval he received. "Mystel!" the masked blonde came up beside the others waving politely. "Moses!" The definite brawns of the team Bega grinned giving the people a big wave. "And in a surprising upset Brooklyn!" the ginger haired genius joined the others standing proudly against the audience.

"Damn..." whispered Takao as he shut off the TV not wanting to watch what happened next.

"I can't believe Kai lost that easily!" exclaimed Dachi his turquoise eyes on the verge of popping out of their sockets.

"I can't believe how powerful he is." Nodded Ray looking down at his feet while playing with his hair.

"Ahhh! And we still haven't chosen the fifth blader!" blabbered Kyoujyu groaning all the while. The rest sighed feeling even more miserable than they had before.

"Relax chief; I'm sure we'll find someone." Chirped Max trying to breathe an upbeat air into everyone. Kyoujyu smiled shakily nodding in agreement.

-

"No! Kai!" said a young man bursting out of his sterile bed and tearing off IV tubes from his veins. On the TV screen was the announcement about BEGA with Kai being looked after by guys in white in the background. "Kai!" his pained roar had attracted the attentions of the staff it seemed as a pretty brunette nurse alongside a balding doctor ran into the room, dragging the struggling teen to his bed. "Let me go!" he snarled barely noticing the pin prick of a needle on his arm, "Kai needs me, let me go!" he disregarded the soothing but incoherent words of the nurse thrashing even more frantically as he felt the drug do its work on shutting him down. "Let me go! Kai, KAI!"

-

A handful of members from the other teams as well as the former bladers of the Bladebreakers were there discussing about the identity of the 5th blader.

"Well none of us can control the new MS blades..." started Rick looking around slowly.

"But we still have this" said Lai solemnly holding out Galleon. Emily clicked her tongue shaking her head,

"The trouble is that they have powerful bladers on their team, I mean look at Garland and Brooklyn! None of us even attempted to try and defeat Yuriy nonetheless Kai!"

"Well I think there should be at least one girl on our team!" pouted Mao pouncing on Lai, "I mean there's a girl in team Bega and girls are better than boys!" all through out this conversation Takao remained silent, enough to slip out unnoticed.

"Takao," said a voice shaking him back into reality,

"Huh, what? Kyoujyu?" the brunette looked back at the Dragoon blader with somewhat serious expression on his face.

"I know what you're thinking but I suggest you forget about it." Takao turned around to fully face his short friend. "He's much too arrogant and headstrong to come back right now and you know it." And he added, "not to mention that he might not be in proper shape to right now..." the two friends stared down at the pond. Then Kyoujyu broke the silence by saying, "I was hoping he would return you know..." he sighed pulling out a small blade from his pocket.

"Kyoujyu is that what I think it is?" The boy nodded in conformation,

"This one was the last one to be built, and I think the smallest, and perhaps the most powerful." He looked meaningfully and the bluenette "maybe... maybe Kai could have won if he had this."

The next day the newly formed Bladebreakers went to visit Yuriy who happened to be asleep then.

"Wow, Garland did a number on him didn't he?" asked Hiromi quietly looking at the pale red head breathing through a mask.

"Oh you're here!" just then Mr. Dickinson entered the room his face brightening a little at the sight of them.

"Hi Mr. Dickinson, we came to visit Yuriy." Chirped Max grinning slightly, "But I guess we have to go now considering it's almost time for the match."

"Well boys, I wish you the best of luck. I have nothing more to ask of you at this point, but I sincerely hope that you win. If not for yourselves then for beyblading."

"Don't worry Mr. Dickinson, we'll can win this." Said Ray following the blonde out of the room.

"Yeah!" cheered Dachi following the duo out with Hiromi, Kyoujyu, and Takao.

"Hey wait!" said Takao hurrying back to Yuriy's bedside.

"What is it?" asked Hiromi curiously,

"Heh, well this." He held out the Dranzer MS blade putting it down by Yuriy's pillow. "So Yuriy and this little guy can cheer for us." He grinned ushering them all out and soon Mr. Dickinson was the only one left in the room. "And don't worry about us Mr. Dickinson! We'll win!"

The crowd roared in approval as they entered the stadium,

This was it...

There was no backing out...


	2. Ch 2 As the Seasons Change

Hitoshi narrowed his eyes at the score, **2/0 **and a tie... BEGA was winning of course. Yet Takao was his brother, he could probably make the last two scores count...

'_Takao isn't the only one who could have done it'_

Hitoshi shook his head,

But, there was always a 'but' wasn't there? Unless Takao fully sees how Brooklyn battles he was at a disadvantage... it never had stopped the Dragoon blader of course but now Hitoshi was thinking he shouldn't have kicked Kai out...

'_Too late' _his treacherous mind whispered, '_too late to fix what it could have been...'_

"Something worrying you Hitoshi?" he whirled around to be faced to face with the former dictator of the abbey.

"Nothing sir, just wondering who Takao will choose as the one to fight in the fourth round." Balcov nodded understandingly then said,

"But it doesn't matter either way does it?" startled Hitoshi looked up at the purple haired Russian.

"Sir?" Balcov chuckled all-knowingly patting Hitoshi on the back.

"Come now, everyone knows that you are here for your brother..." his black eyes twinkled maliciously as he looked into Hitoshi's red shades. "And I'm sure Brooklyn will be more than a match for him." And as quietly as he came he left leaving the older Kinomaya paused over the keyboard and the flashing screens.

"Ch..." he grunted pulling up a file of Kai Hiwatari, "you have no idea how right you are." Skimming the said Russians profile he muttered, "Perhaps I was wrong about you Kai."

-

Dizzy and stumbling Kai walked through the shadows avoiding the sun. The battle should have started by now; he should go to watch but... The hood slipped from his head revealing extensive damage dealt to his face. One could only imagine what was done to the rest of the body.

Quietly slipping the hood back on Kai pressed a finger to his right eye, noticing the sticky red that came off when he brought his fingers to light. Boundaries of his vision growing blurry he sat down near a pile of garbage not minding the smell too much as the sun blazed overhead.

'_You've been a bad boy Kai... I think you need to be punished'  
_

Something crawled up his legs and he instantly reacted barely missing by mere centimeters as soon as he figured out that it was a cat and not his former trainer. With a hiss the cat scampers away leaving him disoriented leaning against the dirty brick wall.

He spent a good deal of that morning sitting in the alley way covered by a thin cloak he managed to pilfer off, and now... he was seeing hell again...

'_Just focus, your objectives and goals are within your reach, focus and you'll see...'_

The sun sank and the tide of crowds shifted like the grains of sand through an hourglass. As the day ended he heard, somehow managed to see, the first two rounds go to BEGA.

'_Every touch burns me... you know that as well as me Kai!'  
_

How Gaia Dragoon Metal Spike was beaten by a certain bipolar personality bitch aliased MingMing. He chocked, to think that once he had thought that the redhead gnome was good enough... one reason why he had left trusting the midget enough to not mess things up.

And Ray even with the power of Drigger Metal Slash... simply not good enough... so where had all those times training to be the best gone? He winced as the rough edges of cracked stone broke into the scratches on his back.

Now the pressure for victory would fall upon Max's shoulders, he could just envision the blonde uncertain as how to go on.  
_  
_

'_No please, grandfather don't!'  
_

As soon as the battle ended between Moses and Ray he left the alleys of the city square, just as he came unnoticed...

'_You have a mission Kai...'_

Humans could be so ignorant at times. There he was sticking out like a sore thumb wearing the gritty cloak in the midst of the pack of people. Or perhaps there had been so many strange things occurring lately they did not simply care.

'_Failure is not an option'_

Hn, they had not even cared. Just how many people had laid out their lives being the support, being the ladders for the so called champions to climb up to their glory. Was that all he was? Just another step?  
_  
_

'_Why did you come back Kai? There's nothing for you here, only pain... and perhaps a moment of relief if you stay on top.'  
_

Weak fall to the strong, they nurture them...

Teach them...  
_  
_

'_You can make a difference; you don't have to stay...'  
_

Thus they are ignored...

That's what happened to me wasn't it?  
_  
_

'_Don't you ever get tired of being right?'_

He had in a twisted way, trained Takao to the very best he could be. Without him there would have been no fire to fuel, no desire to become great. He had trained Takao, for them, for his brother, and inevitably for himself.

Pupils will always surpass their masters.

'_Click'_

He was quickly forgotten, another face discarded to make room for the new.

'_You shouldn't have come back Hiwatari'  
_

But this is only the second was it not?

And they say third is the charmer...

"**_Yuriy..."_**

Seconds crawl on by like hours, minutes drag by like years.

And yet the images did not die away...

If anything, they became frighteningly accurate as everyday objects warped into pieces of nightmares.

Replay of hell yet again...

Of being slammed into a wall bruising him black and blue

His resistance grew stronger yet the visions did not fade

His first nightmare wasn't about monsters under the bed, in the closet, loosing parents, loosing family, loosing friends, loosing a match... it was Voltaire..

He could feel touch him, stroke him, rub against him, do unspeakable things with his teammates. Such relief he had felt when the man had been convicted of enough crimes to land him in prison for perhaps the rest of his life.

He recalled every fiery kiss burning their way down the length of his body... He could explain vividly about how their fingers had snaked up their way to his thighs... they never took away their innocence outright, but it never stopped them from chipping it away to nothingness.

Pity...

'_Focus'_

He faced the stadium but did not go in... What was there to do except trust Max enough to do what is needed to be done, so instead he headed in the opposite direction. And still, no one notices him as he walks by...  
_  
_

'_You shove it in their mouths and blow their brains out, any questions?'_

So immersed in finer points of minor details that he had forgotten, he had forgotten why he was to lose to Takao in the international tournament, why he had to abandon Yuriy, Boris and Sergei in their moments of defeat, why he had to turn himself over to BEGA in order to infiltrate further into their organization.

Objective: Take out Balcov

-

"Good job Max." chorused the bladders all around him as soon as Max walked off the stadium after a handshake with Mystel. He had tied with the other blond securing some hope that they would make it through, all that was left was to pray that Takao could succeed as well.

"Ahh shucks, it was nothing." The blonde winked walking towards his teammates. "It was all thanks to Rick." He slapped the white haired bladers ass receiving random gasps from everyone. Rick blushed scarlet, which normally would have been impossible due to his tan but he managed to do it. Michael grinned,

"So..." knowing what the captain of the American team was going to say Rick flushed crimson again though this time it was more likely from anger than embarrassment.

"Get your mind out of the gutter Michael, or I'll do it for you!" he growled. And soon he and Michael were engaged in their regular verbal sparring with everyone watching them.

"Well... now we know things are back to normal." Sighed Emily, the orange haired girl looked up at the scoreboards where it announced in bold lettering **2-0**. "...I hope Takao can pull this off."


	3. Ch 3 Not to go on

**A.C.:** as I made the changes to format and all that good stuff, I realized that the G-Revolution series have been released in USA for a good while now and decided to change few of the attack names that I've translated so far. (which is like one, 'Radient Thunder' attack) In conclusion I'd have to say Asian pronunciation sucks, and though I'm dissing my country by saying this, they will never ever be able to succeed out in the real world speaking English like that. The names will stay the same however, because even though it's mentioned like only once... Moses is better than Crusher. Nuff said.

-

-

It had been all over the news, Neo Borg had challenged BEGA. What was to be a private meeting between angry associates of the abbey became a public event as everyone was unknowingly swept into sampling BEGA's prowess as the new superpowers of the beyblading community.

It hadn't really mattered to them, blading was a game, fun yes but not worth loosing your life over.

Kai had known something the others didn't.

It hadn't been about blading at all...

That day he had rushed over to the stadium where the battle was being held, where it was viewed on large screen TV for the world to see and when the face of the achingly handsome redhead was put on view Kai knew.

He just knew...

That unless the others had been defeated...

He had seen, he had heard, how Yuriy had announced that BEGA would bow down to Neo Borg and Neo Borg alone. Or was it Blitzkrieg now? He had seen, he had heard when the words rung all around as the blue eyed Russian fought the cyan haired blader.

But now that he had lost, all pretenses to keep the vow fell to him...

He didn't know what was going to happen but at the same time he did. And that's what scared him the most.

Yuriy fought against the BEGA blader; he had fought very well even though he knew he was consequently going to lose. The outcome had been shown, the only thing preventing it from becoming official to even the deaf and the blind the fences that kept the ice sprite bound, keeping them there...

Wolves are meant to be free...

And Kai had thought Yuriy were beautiful when he was free...

He had frozen the entire stadium to ice

Element ice... the complete opposite of element fire...

They had solely existed for each other

Without the other there was nothing

Without him he wasn't whole

-

"So you finally showed up?" said Jin from coming behind Kai. The older assumed the same position as the younger, leaning back against the wall to observe the battle from above his shades.

"You're not in the position to say such things Hitoshi." The said person shrugged, waving his hand carelessly in response.

"I see you've come to watch Yuriy... you know he's going to lose." Kai grunted and didn't bother denying it.

"I know."

"Then why? Couldn't stay away from a friend in need?" now this was a curious behavior, Kai had stayed for his 'teammates' when they had needed him. But only if they had needed him.

This situation was lost beyond hope of reversal, so why?

"Yuriy's not my friend, just..." he hesitated,

"Just what?" Jin pressed, but the phoenix was already looking away. For a moment no one said anything as amidst the cheering of the crowd, breaking sound of the blade reached their ears.

"Do you think Yuriy knew? Do you think he knew that this would happen?" Jin looked thoughtful as he stared down back at the Russian.

"Quite possible, after all, he had been following Balcov's orders for quite a time..." the crowd gasped in appreciation simultaneously as the battle drew to an end, signaling Yuriy's time was up.

"Yuriy..."

-

"Why?" Yuriy panted, "Why do you, why does a guy with talents like you work under him?" Apollo crashed against Wolfborg again. He snarled snapping his hands as he directed the white beast forward and onto the griffon's wings.

"First of all I'm not his underling. Second, I have to ask... why don't you take advantage of what Balcov offers? Why don't you use it to your advantage?" the cyan blader retaliated by kicking midair, a gap had appeared around the gold glow of his bitbeast and the griffon slammed its wings down on the ground effectively disabling Wolfborg from reattaching to the smooth feathers.

"Heh, your advantage? Balcov is using you; I found that out the hard way... I'd rather give up on life altogether than pledge my loyalties to him again!" he snarled trying to throw off the sun colored blade.

The gold blade persisted and Garland closed his eyes in a silent respect to the winter warrior.

"Very well, then I have no choice... You've done well Yuriy, so I'll give you the honor of seeing my attack face to face..." he made a strange waving motion with his arms as the gold beast galloped forward with its tail snapping the air.

Yuriy knew what was happening, he had no way of stopping it.

"RADIENT THUNDER!"

Everything became coated in sparkling yellow light...

Yuriy could see the sun, feel it, as it leaped out at him, at Wolfborg...

"YURIY!" he could hear Takao and his annoying friends voices cry out as he was tossed backwards... but there was another voice... one that he didn't want to hear...

'_Kai... you can't be here... I can't let you see me... so weak...'_

Kai clenched his fists over the railing as Yuriy was thrown back from the stands. Utter helplessness was what he had felt; utter helplessness knowing that he could do nothing to help, except watch. Even now, the glare behind the red glass bore into his skull as to silently inquire about the sudden outburst of emotions. He saw the turtle master and the dragon master leap on to there feet and run over to the redhead to help, everyone else in shock over the already determined outcome.

Strange feeling gripped his heart, helplessness? No stronger, more painful, sharper, colorful, jealousy? Possible, but why? Looking at Yuriy's face provided the answers to the unasked question.

He closed his eyes as Takao foolishly challenged all of BEGA out in all but war, shooting accusations of the past as the ambulance carried, Yuriy away along with Boris and Sergei in tow.

He'd have to call Ivan later.

And as the team members were announced, he jumped down from his perch in front of the prototype G-Revolutions as they held their hands out ecstatically, so eager to accept anything that might help their cause...

Hurt as it did he had to turn away.

Hurt as it did he had to relinquish his freedom,

Just for him...

To fulfill the vow he had made...

People thought it was just pathetic attempt to fight Takao again, but the truth was... it was for him...

Just for him

Everything he had done, it was for a purpose. Some of them might have been selfish but all he wanted was to protect the only family he had known in his short life.

Even when some things seem like utter betrayal and abandonment he never forgot about you, or his adopted brothers.

He hadn't lied when he told Hitoshi they weren't friends anymore. With the complicated soup of feeling boiling beneath the surface, he doubted if anything could go back to being just 'friends' anytime soon.

'_For you Yuriy...'_

-

"Hey who's the new kid fighting Garland?" said a blader as he stopped his own match with a person with a slightly spiky hair. "Neither Mystel or Moses is in today." The tops flew to their owners being caught with ease that could have only come from extreme practice.

"Dunno, supposedly Hiwatari Kai, the one who got up to the finals with Neo Borg." The spike head scratched his ear quizzically squinting over at the arena where Garland stood tall against the slightly shorter frame of the challenger.

"Well whatever Neo Borg is... I wonder how he got to fight Garland?"

"So Hiwatari Kai huh, I wonder if you can put up a better fight than that red head teammate of yours." Kai merely gave him a slight sideways glance before aiming his launcher at the dish.

The match had ended in a draw, but Kai hadn't dwelled too long on the outcome. He was too busy hunting down Hitoshi and trying to figure out what he was up to... again.

-

"What are you plotting this time Hitoshi?" trying to close the romance novel written entirely in French, the Metal Driger wielder swore slightly under his breath. The bastard, he could probably read French too. With the amount of diversity in nationality of students, it was getting harder to find a language they didn't understand. Not that the tech room was an easily accessible area but still.

"Hmm?" Trying to look nonchalant Hitoshi looked up at the Russian blader leaning against the tech room wall. "What do you mean?"

"Everyone know that you came to join BEGA for Takao's sake, so tell me... what are you planning this time?" Hitoshi chuckled softly at Kai's bluntness; he had not expected anything else of course.

"Just sit back and watch Kai, it does help to be patient you know." He typed in few commands drawing up a schedule for Brooklyn's training

"Hn," Kai walked towards the door but looking back he said, "I don't care what you have planned for that... boy. But if he gets in the way I will not hesitate to send him flying." He glared hard at Jin to prove his point then walked out the door briefly adding "I dare say he'd like that from the looks of him..." strolling out the heavy metal door he became face to face with Garland who seemed to have been there for a long time.

"I told you, keep away from Brooklyn." The warning was not heeded.

"I don't want to hear any warnings coming from a weakling." Garland shrugged it off as he watched Kai become smaller as he ventured further down the hall.

"Mark my words Hiwatari, keep away from Brooklyn or you'll face hell!"

**_-Flashback-_**  
_  
The great doors opened to admit a slightly battered teen as he walked in with Dranzer in hand. Yuriy faced him almost expectantly as he looked him over and noting the signs of weariness upon the slate haired Russian's shoulders._

"_You're taking this entirely too lightly" the redhead growled, not unlike his lupin counterpart. "You can't just go off whenever you damn feel like it, we have a job Kai, it demands to be completed."_

_Yuriy was worried; lately it was getting harder and harder to find Kai as he was always off alone. Training was always good but to do it in a blizzard without even the barest stitch of clothing..._

_Kai shrugged off the words trying to walk past his partner, but got caught as Yuriy's hands moved to catch his. Kai froze, feeling like he had been run through with Boris' schoblitz. The pale eyes continued to look him over, eying the length of the arm as each scratch and bruise pulsed beneath the florescent lighting of the abbey._

"_What happened to your arm!"_

_Kai didn't answer, yanking his arm away and leaving the blue eyed wolf by the entrance. Within a few moments the redhead came after the phoenix, grabbing him by the upper arms and spinning him around._

_In a freak slip of movement Kai stumbled backwards grabbing on to Yuriy's jacket and pulling him down with him. Fortunately Kai's head was relatively undamaged as his free hand and one of Yuriy's arms broke his falls. But that had also meant Yuriy landing on top of the said phoenix._

_And the wolf's lips were covering the young firebird's..._

_It was brief, sloppy, even to the point of being painful, but neither pulled away as they stared into each others eyes, finally breaking apart for air. At that moment Kai knew that he had fallen for his Russian comrade._

**-End Flashback-**

Eyes blank, lifeless, aimlessly directed towards the front as he walked on. He was dimly aware of where he was heading, he had chosen his destination hours ago and was relying on his instincts to find it.

Or was he?

A tentative step

Then another

The cycle repeated in a continuous monotony before he was stopped by a crash and a fall.

Faintly he could hear the angry pedestrian's strings of curses as they swore at him, grabbed him by the torn scarf and spat into his face.

Furious, crimson eyes sparked ablaze, opening to plant his fist in the other's jaws. He was soon thrown back on the asphalt stunned as the other jumped on his stomach and began beating him. And for a few moments he just took the stinging blows before suddenly something deep within him snapped.

He saw the abbey...

"_Fight!"_

With a feral cry every instinct he had ever had came forth to kick away the offender. Once the weight was off his chest, he leapt on to the other blindly beating them until they were a mass of blubbering tissue. Aiming his fist at the concrete slab beside the other's head he punched it through, scattering shrapnel remains skating across the other's face.

Kai panted, kneeling on the floor, hands covered in blood as he prepared another blow.

Something wet trickled down his face

It wasn't blood...

Tears?

His tears?

He was crying... he was crying without even realizing...!

Someone came and dragged him away from the barely struggling body as it grappled him.

"Oh god Kai..." weakly the crimson eyes locked on to silver, colorless ones.

"Boris... where's Yuriy?" and all went black.


	4. Ch 4 Used to be

Beyblading was hazardous no doubt when Boris found out first hand from the 'Radient Thunder' attack of Apollo. Fortunately for him however, the attack was designed to hit a specific target and not two moving ones, though it had plenty of power to back that idea, and he had not landed in a coma like a certain redhead.

Still, they had been unconscious when they were carried off to the nearest hospital and had awoken half a day later to see a gnome named Ivan staring down at them. But Yuriy had remained in a coma for a while, had awoken but too much drugs had knocked him out again. Oh yes, Boris could just smell the law suit of manhandling and possible attempted murder. Or it could just be the smell of defeat.

Thanks to a cracked rib, concussion, trauma to both knee caps and 3rd degrees burns, Boris and Sergei were deemed unfit to be released back into the world by doctors and were bound to the tiny, sterile room the four Russians were now sharing.

Enter boredom; Ivan had brought a game console to amuse himself. There were only two controllers so they all took turns but usually the outcome was that Boris would lose and throw a tantrum. Who would have thought that the emotionless bastard/psychopath/murderer was so bad at video games?

In an attempt to cool off he had taken a walk wearing cut remnants of his pants and too tiny shirt from Ivan's baggage. He had to keep his arms in check to insure that the shirt didn't rip when he stretched his shoulders but there was only so much to do.

He irritatedly fingered a hidden dagger within the deep pocket of his pants. No one had to know right? It's not like within this sea of humans one decapitated body would be recognizable from another.

He was planning to vent his anger upon the next beefy looking person he came across until the sound of fighting crossed his well trained ears. He looked up, to see where the sounds originated from and he wasn't disappointed.

Two figures rolled on the ground, one, beating the crap of the other. The other, crying and begging for forgiveness as they curled up whimpering.

Perhaps... they would be a better catch...

Thirst for blood and action caught up with the wounded falcon. He had not been let out for days, his blood demanded another's be shed but his keen eyes had already glimpsed the face of the attacker...

'Kai!'

Barely registering that the words had formed in his mouth he had pulled the silver haired phoenix away with speed that would have rivaled those of a peregrine falcon in a hunting dive.

Trying to calm down the struggling teen Boris had uttered,

"Oh god Kai..."

The futile bucking had stopped and the glazed eyes looked up in to Boris' own.

"Boris... where's Yuriy?" and proceeded to promptly faint in Boris' arms.

_-_

Kai did not look well. Scratch that, he looked like shit. Something that crawled out of a blender, a blender called Falborg that is. But no time for jokes. Hoisting the fallen Russian upon his back, he began to run towards the general direction of the hospital quickly running out of breath as he remembered that he himself was not in the best of conditions...

Bidding Falborg to help him, the light haired Russian ran into the reception room scaring the hell out of the nurse on duty. Kai was quickly taken off his back and wheeled into the emergency room as he collapsed into one of the coffee stained chairs of the waiting room.

'Crap, the shirt tore...'

-

Worried about the general location of his team mate, Sergei excused himself from the front of the TV where Ivan was still clicking away. Yuriy was somehow managing to sleep all through this but then again, they had loaded him up with enough sedatives to knockout Seaborg if needed to.

The train of his thoughts turning foul he walked down the hall, passing elders in wheelchairs and people with IV tubes stuck in their arms. He himself had received numerous injuries but not to the extent of Yuriy's. Had not Boris been there...

Speak of the devil

The gray haired falcon was coming up the hall furiously muttering about the shirt being a size too small. One of the grannies sitting on the bench with a came began raving about kids in their age being proper and prim compared to those in this time line who were absolutely indecent in upholding the dress code.

"Don't say a word," hissed the falcon as he dragged the blond back into their captain's ward.

Ivan looked up as Boris quickly changed from the too small shirt into baggier one of Sergei's.

Sergei raised his eyebrows.

Sighing in resignation Boris sat down on a chair next to Yuriy's bed and raised his hand.

"I found Kai."

Quickly he was bombarded with questions. Logical really, since Kai had been treated at the same hospital before he escaped, the slate haired blader becoming quite the escape artist from all the practices in the Balcov Abbey.

"Where is he?" was the first coherent question to register. The three of Neo Borg turned towards the redhead who had his good eye open and was peering tiredly at them all.

"Yuriy you alright?" Ivan placed a cool hand over his captain's forehead, careful not to knock the face mask off. On second thought, they could probably remove it seeing how Yuriy had rejoined them all in the realm of living.

"I'll go get the doctor, a real one this time." with this Sergei burst out the room. Yuriy eyed the emptiness where the blond had been with a weird look, then turned his gaze back to the wyrm and the falcon fidgeting in their seats. Well, falcon less so than the wyrm, even he was the one who found the lost phoenix.

"I'm waiting..." Yuriy croaked, his throat dry. The redhead tried to lick his lips. Ivan saw the movement but saw no way to help his captain without somehow worsening the situation.

"Found him in a street brawl, he was beating the living crap out of someone. Pity he didn't kill him." Boris shrugged, not wanting to delve into too many details of that incident. If anything Yuriy's glare intensified into a blizzard worthy of Wolfborg's Nova Rog. Bored, Boris continued, "he was admitted this lunatic asylum about half an hour ago suffering from exposure, internal bleeding, and a dislocated shoulder. The time now is 3:47 pm, anything else?"

But before the red wolf could find a smart assed comeback, Sergei dragged in a doctor by the tie around the skinny neck.

-

A few hours later Yuriy was mask free and eating the junk food Ivan had managed to smuggle in, the lumpy hospital food fertilizers for a tree by the door. Though right now, the said tree looked a little sick. Yuriy choked as Boris lost yet again, crashing his car into a telephone pole. The falcon threw the controller down claiming that the wyrm had cheated. The Wyborg blader cheekily replied something but the captain of Neo Borg didn't catch it for the door opened receive a brawny looking male nurse wheeling in a second figure on a stretcher.

'Kai!'

Yuriy's heart sprung to his throat as the second figure was gently placed on the bed a few feet away from them. Defeat at the hands of the navy haired Russian immediately forgotten, Boris lept to his feet, examining the bandaged face of the phoenix wielder as an IV line was placed in the pale wrist, a gap between where the bandaging began and ended.

"Well doesn't he look well..." started Ivan in a hushed sort of voice. The male nurse stated a few guidelines for when the slate haired teen woke up but soon left, leaving all five alone in the small hospital room.

"Let me see him..." spoke up a soft voice. Yuriy had started to get up, putting his shaky feet on the ground before latching on to the bedpost to support himself. Sergei moved towards his captain to assist him better.

The pale blue eyes immediately chilled when the made their way over the wounded phoenix.

"What's going to happen now?" the question caught them all off guard, even Yuriy himself. It wasn't the question they were expecting. Boris expelled a sigh sitting down on the bed and staring out the window in contempt.

"What can happen? That blond kid's battle should be starting by now? Ended? They're going to do the last two the day after tomorrow, probably both by Takao if he can't find a fifth by then." the falcon blader turned towards his leader, "Seriously? This time around, Boris will win. Takao has no idea what he's up against."

"Neither were we..." Yuriy brooded for a while, having been placed conveniently on a chair the others had used when they waited for him to climb out of the temporary coma.

"Yuriy..." spoke Sergei, his voice rumbling forth from his barrel like chest. "Kai had a point in not joining us when we went to take them on."

"But he did soon after didn't he?" Chirped Ivan eying the IV liquid drop from the transparent bag above. "That's why he's here."

"Only because we said that Neo Borg would be the one to take them down."

-

Pale lashes fluttered before revealing burgundy orbs below. Kai had awoken, in pain and very much alive. Though the pain part, he couldn't feel all that much, actually, he couldn't feel much at all. Except the dull pounding behind his skull where the dark blue hair met the white pillow cover. And...

"Sore? Don't worry, that's how I felt when I woke up." mirthless laughter reached his ears. Where was he? All he saw was white abound, like... he quickly closed his eyes in case he saw the dreaded green eyes once more. "You're safe Kai, you're in a hospital. Not even Balcov would attack us directly here."

'Yuriy?'

"Yuriy..." his throat felt dry, like a dry river with dividing fissures from the solar rays.

"That's my name," something padded over him holding up a glass of water. "Don't wear it out." his head was lifted slightly, tilted so he could drink the blessed liquid.

Once his throat felt well enough to go on he asked,

"Ivan? The others?" his head was gently lowered back down the bed but he forced himself upright, almost regretting the decision when light exploded in his eyes leaving him dazed for a few moments.

Yuriy peered at him, almost testing him.

"Business,"

"And you let them go? They're still injured."

"Ivan's with them remember?" Kai growled, flames relighting is eyes once more. "Kai," he was faced with the redhead pressing his lips on to his own. They pulled away, "I missed you." the red wolf sad, almost guilty.

Kai frowned, but said simply

"I missed you too."

The picture of the handsome redhead's face was the one he would keep forever.

-

"Does anyone get the feeling something really bad is going to happen?"

-

Yuriy observed the phoenix blader silently, marveling at the beauty the slate haired teen had been blessed with before turning the train of thought to the matter at hand.

It wasn't just his imagination. Kai was... Kai was afraid. But that was impossible isn't it? The Hiwatari Kai he knew and loved would never... Kai jumped as the nurse opened the door and Yuriy's frown deepened severely. In his palms he cradled Wolfborg and Dranzer MS, a gift perhaps from BBA during the time he had been knocked out.

The nurse left and Kai began to shiver.

"Kai?" said Yuriy softly as to not scare the teen. Kai jumped from his seat anyways, Yuriy sighed.

-

"_Let's blade"_

"_Yuriy, you're just on the way to recovery... what will the doctors think?"_

"_Does it matter at all? What's wrong with you? You seem... off"_

"_So do you..."_

"_Maybe..."_

"_Yuriy?"_

_Another kiss,_

"_We're going to blade since I can't spar with a broken leg."_

"_Yuriy?"_

-

They couldn't find a dish in or near the vicinity of the hospital. Probably thanks to its destructive powers. And so Yuriy improvised and managed to convince the younger Russian to use the hospital fountain as an arena, though Dranzer would be at a disadvantage more so with abundance of water and a blade of old design, Kai was never the one to back down from a challenge.

Dranzer MS blade was still up in their room, Yuriy had his reasons for withholding the metal blade but he was pretty sure he was correct in thinking that at this time Kai wouldn't be able to control the small blade.

"3

2

1

LET IT RIP!"

The match had drawn crowds from all sides. Bored patients eagerly rooting on their favorite blader, anxious doctors, love struck nurses.

Dranzer drew a wide circle around the fountain, avoiding the droplets of water as she zigzagged frivolously led Wolfborg around. Kai was twitching, and occasionally the top jerked to mimic his movements. The redhead captain decided to cut to the chase and suddenly the air around them dropped by several degrees.

Kai's eyes widened, fully realizing what was about to happen, but he was just standing there allowing the attack to happen. Yuriy was there to remedy that, the flames on the phoenix's wings had been extinguished, it was his job to reignite the tiny sparks into a wildfire...

Within the shadows Yuriy's eyes glinted gold...


	5. Ch 5 Leave me

**A.C.:** Episode number 48 of G-revolutions must be cursed I swear. Every time I try watching it, something comes up. Like the show had been bumped up a few hours and I have to go to school. Or it's aired at 4 friggin am in the morning... but I love episode 48 so much ;.; Did you know that in all seasons, episode 48 features the best of Kai-tastic action? Coincidence perhaps?

* * *

"NOVA ROG!" for a split second there was an image of a woman made up entirely of ice, walking in the snowstorm before she was swallowed up by the approaching wolf beast and the shower of ice and crystals that accompanied it. The fountain froze, scattering droplets of ice on to the ground, people fled screaming as the hospital staff tried to restore order, and to try and stop the two Russians before they brought the ice age down upon them all.

"Yuriy what!" Kai jerked his hands directing Dranzer towards safety. The said firebird flared up in a majestic shield of fire as she tore down the ice rink and melted off the freeze.

'_I didn't... order her to do that...'_

He looked up at Yuriy, his captain, his leader, his lover... eyes cast in the shadows as they fought, the field of ice the only thing that was keeping them from reality and the storm of doctors and nurses around them.

Dranzer screamed at the wolf provoking the beast further as her intense heat began to melt off the glacier that was the fountain. Their eyes met for a moment, deepest of all sapphire on ruby, but she looked away. She would not obey him, not when he was...

'_Weak'_

He had been foolish enough to show his weakness

_That's why..._

Dranzer flew down the thin sheet of ice as Wolfborg charged forward, congealing whatever she had managed to melt down. But the blade was not in tune with her blader, she would not last long against the battle against the hungry wolves.

"DRANZER!"

Yuriy watched in mild satisfaction as a shield of flames were erected around the blue blade. The out modeled top was already weakened, being forced to compete against a healthier and more powerful rival than she. The blade was not strong enough to withstand the backlash of her own attack should she try to use any of her more powerful moves and Kai knew it. Yuriy would be given time to play with his prey before finishing it.

Kai watched in silent horror as Dranzer was pushed back, what was the redhead trying to prove? The Neo Borg captain was injured beyond what he actually let on, their stamina at rock bottom and if anything falling lower. What was the point?

'_Weak...'_

_What happened to you? What happened to your pride, why are you so weak?_

"Flame Saber!"

"Blizzalog!"

Weaker, but no less intense twister hail buried him knee deep in snow, anchoring him there as Yuriy prepared his last move.

"_Become stronger grandson and you will rule the world"_

"_Black Dranzer will ensure you victory"_

"_Don't interfere..."_

"_Dranzer..."_

Why did the opponent always have green eyes? From Black Dranzer to Zeo, Brooklyn, and now even Yuriy.

'_I don't want to fight...'_

'_Not you...'_

"**THAT'S ENOUGH!"**

Dranzer embraced the slate haired Russian within her crimson wings, the red feathers tickled his throat as the precious seconds slipped by, but Kai had gotten her message. The wings parted like blinds and as if it were for the first time, Kai stepped back into reality.

He blinked, all the ice had melted off, even some of the fountain was sinking into the ground. On the other side was Yuriy, Wolfborg motionless as his master. Kai's heart sank rapidly as he ran towards the other Russian, nearly falling as he caught Dranzer.

Yuriy looked up, only one of his eyes visible through the bandaging.

"So, you won. Ch."

The usually wild red hair was limp, soaked, then rapidly dried over heat. Yuriy smirked the infuriatingly charming wolfish grin before swaying, almost falling over as Kai caught him in his hands.

"You are weak..." whispered Yuriy as Kai began to call for help.

"Shut up Yuriy, now is not the time!"

Yuriy's thoughts were tinged with regret, regret at what he was about to do, what he had done and what would happen to the young phoenix at his rash actions.

And as the doctors and nurses swarmed them, separated them, Yuriy whispered,

"_I don't need you..." _

The last thing Kai saw of Yuriy that day were the icy blue eyes frozen to the core. The only thing he heard that day were the multiple meaning of those words stabbing his back and heart till they bled him out into oblivion.

Tears didn't come for all had been spent fighting the inferno in his eyes.

-

-

They leave for one day, actually no, not even half a day, more like quarter a day in which their fearless leader goes on a kamikaze mission to raise the phoenix from the ashes. Boris was pissed as hell as he was left with all the papers when Sergei went off to buy more food, and Ivan to check on Kai.

One day left till the tournament was all that blared out of TV and radio until Boris gained half a mind to break them all as he furiously signed the papers regarding damages on the hospital staff and the hospital itself.

Yuriy was in coma, again.

As for Kai, he wasn't exactly sure what happened to Kai. He was curled up into a fetal position last time he checked and was willing to bet his next pay that Ivan wasn't going to change that. Unless of course the navy haired Russian decided to rile Kai up enough into destroying all hospital facilities.

"Oy I'm hungry, is Sergei back yet?"

Absentmindedly tossing the nearest nurse the completed papers and moving on to the next Boris replied,

"No, how's Kai?"

Ivan shrugged as he stood next to Boris, the navy haired blader just barely tall enough to look over the counter.

"Same as always, I can't tell if he's asleep or not. Would tell you but he threatened to tweak off my nose." as if to prove his point, the shorter Russian patted his nose in a reassuring way.

"Sounds like Kai, well since you're here." malice glinted in Boris' eyes as he pushed the stack of paper in front of Ivan with the pen neatly on top of it. "Why don't you do the paperwork while I check on Kai?" strings of curses, thankfully in Russian to spare all the other people, aimed at his back Boris climbed up the stairs to the fourth floor.

"Aww man, now how am I going to reach for the pen."

Later when Sergei returned with groceries, he was treated with the site of a navy haired Russian standing in a chair to sign all the papers. It had never occurred to the Wyborg wielder that he could simply bring the papers down to a manageable level.

-

-

"Sir, you should be in bed. You've received..."

"I'm not leaving, go away."

Kai stood, remnants of his clothing carelessly tossed on as he assessed the damage that had been dealt to the Wolfborg blader. The said blade was a mere chip now, the vessel to hold the mutated wolf within.

The chip glowed in teal in animosity before lighting up benign pastel shade as the once proud phoenix looked down at Yuriy.

His captain

His first friend

His leader

His lover...

The words the redhead had uttered had not been cleared from his mind, they reverberated around the shallow cavity of his heart, driving the stake in deeper. Beside the pillow, on the small corner table there was a miniature blade composed entirely of blue and white metal. In a flash of warm gold and red, the regal emblem of the phoenix appeared on the center, prominent within her cage of blue.

Kai held the blade within his hands looking back down at unconscious Yuriy. Pocketing Dranzer he lowered his head in a burst of inspiration, kissing the redhead tenderly on the forehead. Kai gave the bandaged fingers a squeeze,

"Good bye Yuriy..."

-

-

"Kai's gone"

"Shouldn't we go after him?"

"There's no point, not when..."

"Shit"

-

An abandoned warehouse by the docks. Except right now it was not so abandoned. It had been the former base of Blade Sharks, a gang he had one led a long time ago. But that was past history as Dranzer reminded him when she darted towards him in no amount of small fury as he jumped away, safe for now.

Frustrated the the blue blade homed in on another target, a stray cat that was staring imploring at him begging for food.

"No get away!" he tossed the launcher at the cat earning an enraged hiss from it saving its life from a possible shredding from Dranzer.

"You're totally out of control," he said to Dranzer, "I can't control you." disagreeing, Dranzer flew towards his face, burying herself in the thick walls as Kai stood up with the launcher in hand. "I don't get it though, why can't I control you?" the Russian blader extracted the blue blade from the walls, securing it to the launcher.

"But I'm not giving up yet." he launched the blue blade yet again, much to his disappointment Dranzer hid herself amongst the numerous boxes and barrels. Fortunately her winding sound was very much audible and he was able to dodge when she flew forth from her lair. As he turned around to face her once more, a green and red blur knocked her into the air.

"What?" composing himself he asked, "Who's there?"

A man with wavy blond hair stepped forward, his red and green blade now revealed to be in the shape of a rose spinning placidly in front.

He looked familiar, the manager of the Sangre F? The man with droopy enough eyes to rival Balcov's? The one in charge of the twin bladers he had first fought in the tournament...

"Romero was it? What are you doing here?" Kai deadpanned, hinting that the man was not welcome. The blond however ignored the warning staring at the fallen Dranzer MS.

"You seem to be having trouble controlling your blade," spoke Romero in a thick spanish accent, "Would you like help?"

"No," sneered Kai picking up Dranzer from the floor. "Why don't you go home? I don't have time for this."

"Oh I understand, you're afraid of losing to me." something snapped within Kai at these words, furious he aimed the launcher at the peaceful air around Romero's face.

"I'll make you eat your words."

Dranzer shot out from the launcher missing Romero's unnamed blade in a matter of few millimeters before rebounding and making an attack at Kai. Kai jumped out of the way as Dranzer turned in the nick of the time from slamming full force into a wall.

"Dranzer!" Crazed with power, the blue top made an attempt at the red and green blade before missing again. "...let it go... it's ok to be angry..." the gears wound faster, grinding against each other.

"Is that all you have?" asked Romero blandly,

"I'm just warming up." Kai sneered,

"Well then, may I be as bold as to attack?" without waiting for an answer Romero called "Levian Rose!"

Thorny vines erupted from the concrete ground as they captured Dranzer squeezing her into a stop. The blades whirled frantically as she struggled to get out but found it impossible as she became buried within the vines.

"Dranzer! Fight it! Don't let it get to you! What the...!"

"Dranzer isn't the one you should be worrying about right now..." said Romero mildly as identical vines emerged from the ground, twining Kai's legs together by burying thorns in them. Kai struggled tearing the skin beneath his clothes, he spat out a curse before realizing that he too was screened within a tangle of thorns.

_NO!_

He had felt this before, the same immobility, suffocation, torture. Like a frightened animal caught in a trap Kai began to thrash about successfully freeing one arm as he strove to do the same with the other.

"Is it Brooklyn? Why do you hate the boy so much?"

_'Amazing, what had taken the others days to accomplish, he does it in a matter of minutes...'_

"Anger won't help you now... that's what he wants." Romero was quite impressed with the boy, despite the fact that he was unable to control his own bit beast he was giving quite the fight. He had an unfair advantage over the younger but there was a bigger crisis going on then just with Kai controlling a new blade. Like the looming threat of disqualification if the G-Revolutions didn't find their fifth member soon. The wavy haired blond had an inkling Kai might be it, though right now.

Kai seemed to be in shock, muttering furiously under his breath. Romero caught the few words, Balcov, Brooklyn among many others. But the words were far and few in between and even Dranzer's movements seem to be dying down somewhat.

Darkness fell over them all as Kai began to bathe within the sinister glow. The glazed look upon his face replaced with insanity, he slew the thick vines still growing on top of the other as Dranzer did the same, the two souls reunited as the smoke dissipated and Romero's precious blade rolled to a stop by his feet.

"Oh dear..."

"Leave me be..." Kai hissed and wisely Romero obeyed, somehow managing to walk out of the ware house without sprinting halfway.

Within the cloaking shadows of the warehouse as day turned to dusk, Kai caught the still spinning Dranzer Metal Spiral within his raw hands, a sick smile still lingering on his face. But as he practiced again and again before collapsing, he couldn't help but think out the four words so identically structured to the three he had loved to hear.

"_I love you"_


	6. Ch 6 I don't care

**A.C.:** A chapter in which our favorite anti-hero returns to save the day...

* * *

"Takao..." whispered Hiromi worriedly as the Dragoon blader launched his top yet again at the rising dust. The silver blade spun gracelessly across the dust, tearing up blades of grass as it wound to a stop. Takao quickly retrieved it to see that there were no permanent damages.

"You'll end up doing more harm than good if you keep this up Takao." Said Kyoujyu, trying to get his best friend to rest. They had been out here all day and now the sun was sinking behind the buildings beyond the river, soon it would be night out and Kyoujyu's mother would be less than pleased with him for being late.

Ray shook his head, the Chinese blader didn't have the heart to stop Takao from practicing, and the last two battles were tomorrow and if they lost one more battle...

"Hiya!" with a yell mixed with pain and frustration, Takao launched his top yet again, only this time, towards the scarlet sky. Propelled into the air, Dragoon flew for a short while before,

'Crash'

Sound of gears grinding against each other and Dragoon fell back towards earth no longer air bound. They all looked up to see a miracle born from there dreams.

"Wha...?" in the bloody sunset where the sun bled crimson was the dark outline of Kai Hiwatari adeptly capturing Dranzer in his hands, he looked weary. He walked closer, a limp evident in his limbs as the torn clothing flapped around him. The first true grin for that day blossomed upon the navy haired blader's face. "_What took you so long?"_

-

The deafening cheer of the crowd and the blinding flash from cameras was what greeted BEGA as they lazily strolled in to the stadium. Same with the G-Revolutions as they walked down the same path, though the cheers were definitely less enthusiastic, only this time they had a secret weapon.

"And yes, there is no more time for the G-Revolutions now! They must announce their fourth and fifth blader or forfeit! Will Takao take both matches as presumed? Or is there another mysterious blader we haven't seen yet?" Sure enough Takao, leading the G-Revolutions, stood smugly in the arena. "Well have you chosen your fourth blader? Or will you do it yourself?" flashing the announcer a grin Takao declared proudly, "We have chosen our fourth blader and he is...!" someone walked out of the shadows surprising the audience and most of all in team BEGA.

Kai Hiwatari had entered the stadium.

Kai looked thinner than he had been in his last match with Brooklyn; he had changed into new clothing. Though they seemed, at best, to hang on him loosely. Here and there hastily tied bandaging showed through restricting the phoenix's movement as he walked out into the spotlight.

"Kai!" the Russian strolled proudly into the stadium glaring at Hitoshi, and in turn Brooklyn. Abruptly the cheers were cut off as the spectators began to boo shouting out things like,

"TRAITOR!"

"GET HIM OUT OF HERE!" but Kai paid them no heed as Garland stood up for the match. Glaring defiantly he pointed at the napping red head

"I want to fight him." Kai barked as the cyan haired blader looked at him in confusion.

"Brooklyn, you're up." Said Hitoshi calmly,

Brooklyn opened one eye to look at the one who dared to challenge him, when he saw that it was Kai he decided to go napping.

"You go battle him Garland, I'm going to take a nap..." yawned Brooklyn as he stretched out on the bench.

"He won't stop unless you battle him Brooklyn, get up." Slightly annoyed but wearing a cocky grin Brooklyn got up.

"If you insist... it's not like it matters much..." he shook off imaginary dust as he changed places with the Griffin wielder.

"Whatever happens in this match..." Kai turned slowly towards the G-Revolutions, "I'll remain true to myself." Max gulped but nodded as Kai's foot touched the final step and walked towards his fate.

Within the top box Balcov chuckled

"Sending out a loser like that... I believe they trust the heavy metal system a little too much. No matter, Brooklyn will win." He sipped a glass of one ridiculously expensive champagne; "show us your power Brooklyn, and humiliate the little brat... oh yes..."Out on the arena Brooklyn was forever yawning as they prepared for launch,

"Takao," said Kai sharply slowly walking up the stairs.

"Yeah Kai?" still staring forward where Brooklyn stood ready to launch his top and finish him within a second.

"Get prepared for the next match." A brief moment of chill passed through the Dragoon bearer's body, though he was the captain of the G-Revolutions Kai's orders were not to be denied.

"Kai..." Takao tried to say something but was interrupted,

"And I will win"

Jazzman looked back and forth between the two combatants, one tenser than wound coil and the other one the complete opposite.

"I can see the future Kai... and I know I will win." Said Brooklyn airily.

"I know..." Kai replied monotonously holding up his launcher at Brooklyn. "And that's why... I have to fight." Brooklyn held his arm out smiling cockily at Kai,

"If you say so"

"3!

2!

1!

GO SHOOT!"

With a huge roar of approval from the crowd the tops were launched, crashing in midair and spinning in the arena almost too fast for the naked eye.

At first it looked like Dranzer was gaining the upper hand, but it became all too evident that Zeus was just playing around.

-

"Looks like Kai's improved... this won't be as easy as Brooklyn thinks, perhaps I should have gone out." Said Garland as he watched Dranzer parry and miss, the phoenix flew up high riddling through the custom dish like hot knife through butter as Zeus gave a chase.

"If Brooklyn can't face off against Kai, what makes you think you can?" Said Jin to the cyan haired blader, his eyes completely invisible to the outside world. Surprisingly Garland gave out a short laugh,

"Ahh touché..."

-

Kai let out a grunt as Zeus began to attack moving into an offensive stance doing all but launching the blue top out of the dish there and then. Brooklyn was smiling lazily, uninterested in the match as Zeus continued harassing the blue blade.

Blackened blue aura formed around the phoenix blader though it was a sudden burst and unnoticeable.

"A little more... just a little more..." his pleas didn't go unheard as Dranzer's paced picked up, just enough to avoid a potentially fatal attack by the dark blade.

"How is it that you are stubborn enough to continue?" Asked Brooklyn curiously and the dark flames rose up, the emerald eyes widened a fraction. "Yes... that is a bit more interesting..."

"A little more..." Kai stretched out his hand to a non-existing presence, Brooklyn seemed highly amused. This Kai was like a small nestling trying to fly for the first time and had fallen, it could fly away, but then it was equally likely to be eaten by a hungry predator at the first second... Brooklyn shook his head.

"But it doesn't change anything." Strands of shadows pulled at them both drawing them closer to the mighty black blade, the whirlpool of gray swallowed them before everyone's eyes.

'_KAI!'_

-

"I have a weird feeling guys..." Dachi shivered putting an arm around himself. The second Dragoon bearer backed away uneasily seemingly unable to keep his eyes on the match. Takao on the other hand, stood forward to see for himself what was about to become of the black blade.

"But that's...!" Takao's eyes widened in horror as the black bladed reformed itself into a black hole. It immediately began to suck up the atmosphere, tugging at them all to join it in its darkness.

"That is!" Confirmed Kyoujyu, reading all the data outputted by his laptop.

"What! He's trying to absorb all of Kai's power?" Max couldn't believe his eyes; he had pinched himself quite a few times to prove that this was not another nightmare.

"Kai seems to be different!" Kyoujyu whimpered as the black aura grew bigger eroding the stone gargoyles within the arena. The black hole grew larger, but nothing was actually going in it for the darkness Kai was emitting was substituting all material needs.

"Dammit..." Takao whispered as Max watched on worriedly. Several miniature buildings melted onto the ground.

"But that means! That's his power!" Ray recoiled in horror as chill went up his spine.

'Kai... I hope you know what you're doing.'

-

"That Kai..." muttered Romero crossing his arms, "doesn't look like he listened to me." His two disciples looked at him in wonder.

"Coach?"

-

_Back at the abbey... we were the best friends... weren't we? Boris was like an over protective brother to me as Sergei was to you... and Ivan was like the little brother none of us ever had..._

_That day back at the hospital... I don't know what happened but I was there and you kissed me to show how much you were relieved... didn't you?_

_You told me that you would stay with me... you said you didn't care that I had lost... all the difficult times in the abbey... the mission on the brink of failure... didn't you?_

_DAMMIT GET OUT OF MY HEAD!_

-

"Release my anger..." The shadows shifted as the light rose against it for within the darkness Brooklyn stood out, a beacon of light beside the strengthening darkness. The darkness cradled them, almost tenderly as they fed them energy, but absorbing an element opposite of his own was taking a toll on the flame bearer.

"A little more, just a little more!" as he was flung into the arena he dug his hands and feet into the concrete trying to hold on while Dranzer tried to dissipate the growing strength of Zeus.

"Till now Garland was the only one who was able to match up to me..." Brooklyn's voice seemed so far away... how strange...

An icy presence glided up to him whispering words that only it could understand...

"Release my anger..." his vision began to fade as heat rose up to his chest making it harder for him to breathe. Shards of concrete buried themselves into his pale flesh neatly pinning his clothes to his skin. He tried to rise but fell and from his position he screamed. "ATTACK!"

The dark aura surrounding him and Dranzer was replaced by fire, fire that only phoenixes cast, to live and die in... the fury that Kai fed her, the same master she would eagerly serve forever.

Dranzer slammed into the center of the black hole and the black clouds were gone. The focus of a chaotic nebula destroyed and order reigned once more.

"You've gotten better Kai, but it's not enough to change the future." Said Brooklyn sounding impressed,

"I know..." whispered Kai. "I know..." Kai stood on his feet shakily wiping away the blood from his face. "You're one of those who like to watch mortals from the higher places" his aura flared matching Brooklyn's "I'll be the one to bring you down Brooklyn, I swear it on my life." He panted gazing lazily at him with one eye... and they began anew calling upon more reserves of energy.

A redhead with marble like skin and crystal blue eyes... the same redhead who said he loved him but rejected him, tossed him away in the end. The same who broke his heart and gave it back... the same red head he wanted to prove to... he wasn't weak 'Do you see me now? Can you call me weak?' Wandering hands never did wonders for a match.

-

It didn't show to the inexperienced eye but Garland saw it clear as day, coach was worried.

"Looks like you haven't had enough to taste Brooklyn's skills coach, if you think that is the full extent of Brooklyn's powers you are sadly mistaken"

**-Before the match...-**

"_Yuriy says he's sorry." Boris, his soul brother... "he doesn't care if you lose, he was just angry." Boris put a reassuring hand on Kai's shoulders. "Kai, you don't have to battle Brooklyn."_

_Kai shrugged him off,_

"_Since when did his opinions matter to me?" He gazed at the lavender teen with dull eyes. "I don't care, and I will fight Brooklyn." Maroon orbs flashed, end of conversation. _

-

"I'll show it to you, my battle lust" he murmured unconsciously fingering the torn material of his vest.

Warmth covered his hands and he felt renewed,

_'Again'_

"**Your true power? Intriguing"**

'Brooklyn, I'll take you down, even if it takes my life'

His voice echoed all around him... **_His_** voice... white was all around him, white that seemed to reach out in four corners infinitely. He turned to a sound of winding gear and was not disappointed to see Dranzer was well, flaring in her magnificent red plumage as she silently locked gazes with her master.

And beyond her were the two other spectrum of colors and shades in this world of nothingness.

'_Suzaku_... I'm sorry... you deserve better... so much more...'

But he wasn't the one to break promises and he wasn't about to start now. He shook slightly, wondering if it was worth it to sacrifice the only solace he had known all these years.

'_I won't be sacrificing her... just myself..'_

"Burn... burn away the darkness," he whispered and Dranzer obeyed. With a shriek she darted around the centaur beast knocking it a few feet away before flaring up to make herself look larger, more powerful. Brooklyn looked pleased,

"**That attack right before... it was very useful... but at least it should be like this..."**

His words didn't make sense... and why not?

"A little more... a bit farther Dranzer... just a bit more" Dranzer stretched out her wings sending a spray of ember everywhere, the battle resumed.

-

"Brooklyn... is scary." Mingming whimpered,

"Yeah," agreed the Egyptian blond. "He's different... from when he started, it's almost like..."

"That's to be expected isn't it?" The duo glanced up at their taller member. "Brooklyn, he's a genius, he can see through everything. That's why he's so hungry... in away, he is a black hole."

-

On kyoujyu's computer, the sections of Dranzer bleeped a terminal red, Hiromi and Daichi immediately went to see what was wrong.

"Ahhh! This can't go on! Dranzer's so damaged it wouldn't be surprising if she fell apart right now!" but the data didn't go away, if anything, the frantic beeping became louder. Kyoujyu shut the laptop looking away.

"Kyoujyu!" Gasped Hiromi in shock.

Behind them, Max and Ray nodded to each other, both making up their minds. They began to make their way toward the stage where the leader that had led on them to so many victories lay on his knees, head thrown back to embrace whatever Brooklyn threw at him.

"Ray!"

"Max!"

"I'm sorry guys, but I can't stand to watch!"

"Yeah, we can't just stand by watching Kai die!"

Takao held his arms apart. Blocking his teammates from going further. Ray's eyes darkened,

"Don't do this Kai,"

"Kai's already done."

"Doesn't this matter to you at all!"

"Say something Takao!"

Sniffling. Ray faltered slightly,

"Takao are you...?"

The Dragoon blader's shoulder's shook,

"Of course it matters, how can you ask? But... he promised us, he promised me. Please guys help me keep his promise, I'll never be able to look at him again if I stop this match, please Ray! Max!"

"You're right..." Ray's fist clenched, eyes spitting gold and saffron at the thought of watching the bloodbath ensue. "We've forgotten... the one who's suffered the most out of us is Kai... as always..."

"We have to believe in Kai." said Max reassuringly, putting a hand on Ray's shoulders. "If we don't believe in him then who?"

"But now there's nothing left for us to do but watch him," Ray hissed bitterly. "godspeed Kai."

-

"**I have to acknowledge your skills... but if only you could fight like me... it'd be more enjoyable no?" **The words from the redhead confused him. Why were they fighting? "**I guess it has to end now... it was very good, it's the first time I've felt this good... though I've seen it already." **He was dazed; one part recognizing what was happening while the other read it another way.

_Darkness..._

_Light..._

_Black..._

_White..._

_Gray?_

_Why bother with these silly things? No one would make it out alive so why bother?_

_Hazy clouds formed fuzzy pictures; pictures became detailed filled with kaleidoscope of colors that blinded him briefly. Whatever that had been contained in the space expanded, contorted into millions of visionary images, nothing and everything. A perfect world of what it could have been flowing past him like a fast forwarded movie leaving him with dread and regret._

_The colors became intricate designs; red, orange, blue and green were common, while purple and navy was in the back. White contracted away, distanced from the others as black spangled horizon loomed over them all like an ominous banner foretelling the Armageddon. _

Kai shuddered, and woke up.

Kai felt drained; feverish... he knew he couldn't give Dranzer the power she needed to defeat Brooklyn and Zeus.

"Just a little more Dranzer, until my last breath fades away..." Dranzer broke free from darkness still spinning fast as ever, Kai screamed as he felt the binds let go and his energy sucked dry.

He got up again, his clothing in tatters.

Ghost like kisses pressed up against his spine, his back prickling with goose bumps, and his hair in limp disarray in contrast to the usual spiked style. His whole posture lowered though eyes still bright and defiant to his soon clear fate.

"**What are you doing? You could kill yourself if you continue!"**

Suddenly everything cleared; crisped into fresh images painted in acrylic. He had forgotten this was just another game, a game in which his life was bet on yet again but still a game. Just another place holder for a step, another knight, queen, rook, castle, pawn, bishop forfeited to checkmate the king. He looked up, Brooklyn actually had some motion other than boredom on his face.

Fear? Something akin to caring for something other than himself, last act of kindness brought on by the barest hint of concern towards humanity left within the cavity of his corrupt mind.

Kai laughed more alive than he had been at the beginning of this battle. He was not afraid, no never. Not with the incidents like Black Dranzer lurking at the corner of his mind, not with the kill score he had so morbidly scratched onto his bedpost.

Blood dripped from the side of his mouth onto his dirtied white scarf. He cocked his head from side to side glaring at him, the bloody red color restored to his eyes.

"I don't care."

'_Because Yuriy doesn't, and you're not him you bastard'_

_

* * *

_

**Edit:** I changed a few things, except I'm not sure just what I changed right now. Bah... episode 48's so awsome ;.; you can just watch it over and over again. Makes you wonder though, what happened to Kai after he collapsed in the halls? Is he dead or what? Why doesn't anyone tell me these things!_  
_


	7. Ch 7 Without a Light

**A.C: **Edited when I should be writing 'Truth About Darkness' finally got to see Episode 48, -sniffs- oh how I missed it so. Too bad I can't rewind or whatnot... Kai... Kai is... -begins to cry like a baby- Uhh the last quote by Kai right there. That was the Japanese title I think, of episode 48. Of course, the dubbers had to be quadsy-feely about it so they changed passion/etc adjetives into... beyblading spirit... yes Kai did say the word love, as I was reminded when I took the trip down the memory lane.

* * *

"**_You died once Kai, are you willing to die again?"_**

Did he? Did he really?

_Suzaku_ flew magnificently, her tail burst into a stream of fire, shattering the darkness. Zeus crashed against the wall before regaining ground, the sucking motion had stopped... for now.

"**_A phoenix, however injured, torn, broken... shattered... rises up from the ashes more powerful than before..."_**

His whole figure was bathed in a ghastly blue light edged in black. He shivered as the blades began dancing around the dish, he could have sworn half the blood in his body had frozen.

Resisting the urge to throw up on to the other side of the ring he held his breath, clenching his hands hard until his nails left dark pink crescent marks riddling across his palms. The blue light grew larger, challenging the colorless, no, colorful light illuminating Brooklyn. They were light, they were darkness, and they were on a whole different level from others.

If Brooklyn was a god by birth, he could be a god as well.

"Just a little more Dranzer... just until my strength gives away... just a little more."

Kai took a breath, the wound on his eye itched, uncomfortably so. His other wounds demanded attention, the scant layers of bandages unable to keep them closed the angry slashes began to bleed.

"**_A phoenix cannot heal the pain of others, only take them away as his own..."_**

His tongue felt thick and fat in his mouth, it choked him... then he saw...

_Too many things..._

He snarled and the statues built around the four corners of the overly elaborate dish began to erode, possibly beyond repair should the ring ever be used again. Brooklyn looked slightly stricken; he had begun to sweat uneasily. And still the tiny village built in countless hours crumbled all around them as the battle continued.

"Very well, if this is what you want, I will not stop."

Blow for blow they fought, Brooklyn to Kai, Kai to Brooklyn, everyone held their breaths. Not even Hitoshi dared to interfere.

-

"Kai don't give up!"

-

"The fool..." whispered Romero from the stands, his face halfway hidden by strands of wavy blond hair.

"Sir?" asked Julia her eyes alight with curiosity. Kai had intrigued her, as he had many others before her. Her brother Raul gave her a sideways glance.

"I told him not to use it, I warned him that he would lose control... he has some nerve fighting darkness with dark." the elder of the twins looked towards the stadium.

-

Above them the bit beasts Dranzer and Zeus fought, red against black as they grappled each other and basically tore each other apart. Their wings thrashed desperately against each other, both trying to win an advantage over the other as the flames and the darkness intermingled in a spectral dance to the death.

With free claws Zeus was choking Dranzer, one claw on her throat squeezing as the other tried to twist and break her neck. Not to be outdone, Dranzer had plunged her talons into the ebony stomach, threatening to tear off the coarse flaps of fur as her crimson tails slapped and tangled against the centaurian's legs. Her gold beak was already buried halfway in the muscular arms of the god beast but with the grip on her windpipe growing stronger she was slowly loosing ground.

-

"**To tell you the truth I'm quite jealous, to get a rise out of such menial tasks... I'm sorry it had to end this way."**

Again they stood above the darkness, Brooklyn in his whites looking brighter than a newborn star he as he sank ever deeper. He tried to reach out only to see the redhead looking down at him with mild amusement. Horrified Kai tried reaching out only to find tendrils of black convulsing around him as it dragged him down.

"**Sayonara Kai, King of Darkness..."**

'_KAI!'_

Takao had grabbed his outstretched his hands, but the few fingers he caught slipped away, the warmth shared between the friction of their palms leaving him as quickly as it had come.

The shadows pulled at the edges of his soul paralyzing him there as he sunk further into the abyss of the vortex Brooklyn had created. Takao let him go, abet reluctantly. Kai didn't blame him, not really.

"**_Kai!" _**

Kai closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable; perhaps he'll wake up faster this time. Maybe... in time to watch Yuriy's face...

The thick gray turned black as the lonely sky blue shifted into a luminescent green. And the fall slowed into a stop as warmth penetrated the foreboding depths. Kai looked up, the site that greeted him near broke him.

Larger, paler... stronger hands held his wrist intent on holding him there. Three more joined it in an aura of colors in which Kai couldn't see but sense in the barest of raw emotions of loving and being loved in return.

When he realized it as something not foreign, but familiar, he sobbed openly returning it with all his being until not even he could tell where everything started and ended, and as the dark clouds dispersed into nothingness Kai woke up cast within the thick smoke where everything was hidden from view.

_**Nothing is as it seems**_

-

The gray smoke gave off an acrid smell melted plastic, along with few sparks that could have only been from Kai's former blade as the flameproof parts whirled down to a stop, announcing the phoenix's fall... this time it would be permanent.

"AANNND IT'S OVER! SUPER 5'S VICTOR IS BROOKLYN!"

Brooklyn smiled, or was he smirking? Knowingly as he stepped off the stands, his white boots barely making a sound as he glided over the steps to a cheering crowd and his teammates, the flabbergasted faces of team G-Revolutions an enjoyable keepsake tucked away in his mind and the announcer on the other side concluding the unfortunate match.

"It's not possible..."

Airborne bits of fire, exploding into a conflagration of flames. With the flames, Hiwatari Kai rose up to his feet, panting as announcer withdrew the results.

"_Not yet..."_

Harsh croak reverberated around the stadium hushing everyone and everything. From the stands, the two solemn members of Neo Borg watched as their brother, as an unworldly phoenix fought for everything he had ever believed in and his life.

"Why do you get up? Don't you get it? It's over, you have nothing left now."

_**A phoenix never dies...**_

"Fight damn you!"

Brooklyn gazed blandly at the Russian phoenix before shrugging helplessly.

"Stubborn are you?"

And as Kai had pleasantly requested, trails of purple shot themselves at Dranzer, striking her repeatedly as she dodged.

"It should be clear by now." Brooklyn said calmly, his white clothing flapping with the jet of dust that followed. "You've lost Kai."

Kai snarled, struggling to rise once more. He lifted his head shakily from the concrete, biting his lips to keep himself from crying out.

"Shut... up..."

A hand trembled,

"No way..."

"Fight..." Kai's breaths came in ragged gasps, another hit and he was down again, clutching the floor like a lifeline. He was now numb with exhaustion, with pain, the rush of whatever adrenaline that had possessed him had left a long time ago and now he was dead beat. There was nothing he would like more than to crawl in Yuriy's bed and reminisce about the olden days.

But the warmth, it had not left him. Not yet... _Suzaku _fed it, protected it fiercely. Enough to keep him going, enough to keep him proud.

He could not afford to give up now.

"Fool..." Zeus crashed into Dranzer, burying the phoenix blade in the bits of rubble. "I was having a good day... you've just ruined it."

With a whirl of gears, Dranzer shook free of the earth that imprisoned her. Kai let out a quiet cry as his hand fell limp beneath him and he crashed back onto the floor once more. Brooklyn was gazing at them as if they were cursed.

"AND THE PHOENIX HAS RISEN ONCE MORE!"

With a screech _Suzaku_ signaled her challenge to a god...

The mortals defying the fate they had been sentenced to...

Brooklyn began to sweat nervously, feeling the moisture grow between the cracks and curves of his palms as he gazed upon what he thought was a mere mortal.

Red eyes... one of them which he had wounded.

"Am I sweating?" he asked faintly, the screams of the crowd were larger now, shriller, it cut into them like arrows, bleeding them dry. Humanity could be disgusting at its best, the unheard taunts dug in deeper than the soul. "Gods... gods don't sweat." Brooklyn declared finally trying to brush off the precipitation gathering around his angelic face. "This wasn't in my visions..." Brooklyn took a half step backwards, before taking a full one forward. "You... I thought I told you to stop!"

-

Max shivered the urge to wrap his arms around himself and found that Daichi's tiny form was quaking as well.

-

Red eyes offered no explanation as they heaved up and down, the heavily injured body standing precariously on the edge as he goaded his blue blade on. The top spun sluggishly now, almost as if tired, resigned to the fate they would be tested against.

"What are you?" As if looking at him for the first time the green eyes danced in wonder, apprehension at the opponent he thought unworthy of him. "I can't see the future anymore... what... who are you?"

Kai stepped forward and Brooklyn stepped back. The redhead felt a growing knot of anxiety within his stomach worming its way up, for the first time since he had joined BEGA Brooklyn felt the stirrings of fear making itself known.

"Don't come near..." small sparks appeared dancing around Kai's broken frame, propelling the silver strands and loose edges of the torn clothing upwards. The cobalt blade clashed against the black melting the edges and driving it back, alive with small embers being born upon its back.

"DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!"

And it was then that Kai chose to speak.

"Listen closely, Brooklyn. I'll admit... you're probably the strongest opponent I've ever faced." With a terrifying scream Dranzer dove at Zeus, driving her steel beak into the flesh beneath the thick fur. "Even stronger than Takao..." through half lidded eyes, with one cracked eyelid Kai began to see what no one else could see. A double vision of black and white, a kaleidoscope of where no shape was definite. "Strength, speed, skills... something no one can even try to follow."

"Don't..." stuttered Brooklyn weakly, "Don't come near..." but came near Kai did, stepping forward as Zeus was driven back. Heat pulsated from his being, heat that threatened to overwhelm him, heat that refused to show him the fire. Heat that refused to purify...

"You are above us... but you're no god... and yet you are strong... pure talent..." a sharp intake of breath. "In the talent area there is no doubt that you've surpassed us all... but in experience..." a harsh laughter expelled from the phoenix's lungs. "You haven't seen a thing..."

Outside the ring Hitoshi tilted his way slightly upward swiping the shades off his eyes...

"I have something you don't..."

Brooklyn was light, he was darkness, he was god... he was reminded of him, in a bitterly twisted way, what he could have been and what he was. Perhaps Hitoshi chose him because of that?

_A mouth at his ear as he tried to stay still, his mind screaming at him to move, do something, other than to let the red wolf dominate him._

His memories were fuzzy, most of them pieces to a puzzle he dared not complete. But there was some warmth; a feeling of being want and wanted that had given his soul the strength to grow wings, wings of the brightest red flames.

Fire was to purify, Brooklyn stepped back as the heated air licked at his exposed skin.

"You haven't had the experience of defeat, this will be your first won't it?"

-

Outside the ring Takao watched in awe at the raw power presented by the captain he thought he had known.

-

"I have yesterday, today, tomorrow, so many fights..."

Memories came, not happy ones, but those laced with satisfaction and perhaps a little tenderness he found lacking most of his years.

"Piling up on one another..."

Gritting his teeth Brooklyn braced for impact,

"Never had to struggle... Victories, defeats," images ran in front of him, no longer was it Brooklyn that stood before him with a shell shocked gaze, no longer was it a lone face among millions that he had dared to challenge. "Enemies, comrades,"

Heat became fire, consuming everything, leaving nothing. The flames clawed at them all, till their faces were tinged with pinkness that threatened to mark them forever with accusation.

_For what?_

Ray stared open mouthed at the vibrant display of light that danced around them all.

"Joy, grief, the days I've bet my everything on. Fierce, new, passionate... I have the experience of living everyday..."

Brooklyn shook his head in confusion, clutching his head as he closed his eyes.

"I don't get it, what are you talking about!"

"Hn, of course not, you lack dedication, passion, so busy trying to play god, you've forgotten what it takes to be human."

"No..."

"You who is caught in a small world loving no one but yourself, I'll show you... what you lack... I'll show you... just exactly how it's supposed to be..."

_Faces..._

_Boris,_

_Sergei,_

_Ivan..._

_Takao,_

_Max,_

_Ray..._

_The G-Revolutions,_

_Lee and the White Tigers,_

_Ralf and the Majestics,_

_Michael and the All-Stars,_

_Miguel and the Baltez Battalion,_

_Romero and the SangreF,_

_The rest that he never got to know..._

_And finally the face he wanted to forget so much yet wanted to keep forever..._

_Yuriy..._

Kai's eyes snapped open

"And this... this is love!"

All went to hell after that


	8. Ch 8 He is the Phoenix

**A.C.:** Edited... not that much though so... -shrugs- hmmm I split one episode into like three chapters... err yay?

* * *

From the smoldering pit of the dish the two blades faced off, the bit beasts held within rising higher and further than ever before.

The black god rose, the face twisted in an angry snarl as he drew forth to crush the ocean colored blade.

Two phoenixes spiraled forth from the small container of their spiritual beings. Two phoenixes, one ablaze with solar flames and the second darker than the ashes she had been born from. In single unity they shrieked their challenge to the Greek beast god and cocooned the darkness in a grid of gray, reminding them all that they were gods too.

_Suzaku, the guardian of South where the lake lies..._

Balkov watched angrily as his star pupil was pushed down. Dranzer glowed a varying shade of rainbow as the warmth was transferred from her blader to her. The flames had died down, the scarlet stained bandages were torn away, floating in the air as pink ribbons as the rest came loose and fell to the floor. Everything seemed so clear...

"That's why..." A screech of gear on gear as Brooklyn's black blade was pushed, no blown out of the dish and by the redhead's feet, a quarter of the top melted into nothingness. Wind blew out from the impact whipping the slate gray hair and the double-ended scarf before settling them down. "I win..." though a mere shadow of his former self, the effect was impressive, or at least the crowd thought so as they roared their approval at the reborn phoenix.

"I lost...?"

Brooklyn collapsed on his feet as Hitoshi quietly replied to the unanswered question,

"You've lost Brooklyn, this is what defeat feels like. Now you can final emerge from your cocoon into a butterfly. Your new wings will be stronger than anything you've ever felt before..."

Effortlessly, despite the wounds he had accumulated, Kai caught his heavily battered blade with the same grace as if he had come out of a practice round. The crowd, if anything cheered harder as he stepped down and into the open arms of G revolution.

-

"Kai!"

"You've won our first victory!"

"G-REVOLUTION'S KAI HAS JUST WON AGAINST BEGA'S SECRET WEAPON! AND WITH THIS HIWATARI KAI HAS MADE AN AWSOME COMEBACK! CONGRATULATIONS!"

"We're proud of you Kai!"

"He's such a great guy!"

"Kai, you... you are great... more than I could ever imagine!"

Excited faces ran up to greet him, eyes on peach colored blanks until they pixelized into the background and Kai found that he was being supported by Takao's arms as he swayed dangerously towards the tiled floor.

"Kai!"

Excitement turned into horror in a matter of seconds as they realized just how much damage Kai received trying to secure a win for them all.

"Kai, you alright?"

"Should we get a doctor?"

"Your voices are giving me a headache." the blunette growled and for a moment they all sighed a breath of relief as the seemingly normal behavior surfaced forth.

"Kai are you alright?"

"Of course," deadpanned Kai breaking out of the younger bluenette's loose hug. "more importantly, are you?"

"Yeah! I'm going to win against Garland then I'm going to fight you! Better be prepared Kai because this time, I won't let you off easily!"

Pressing a torn palm on Takao's shoulders, Kai smiled politely and looked at them sternly trying to recognize their faces.

Bladebreakers

G-revolutions...

"I wish you good luck," he said softly and headed for the exit, congratulating himself as he somehow manage to hide in the shadows without stumbling.

Within the top stands Boris and Sergei gave each other all knowing looks as the sped down to capture to elusive phoenix.

-

From the place he had left brief moment before "AND NOW, THE BATTLE BETWEEN BEGA'S GARLAND AND TAKAO WILL BEGIN WITHIN AN HOUR!" reverberated around the empty corridor like a gong, crashing against his head until he stumbled blindly grasping the wall. His sight wavered, just as his knees buckled.

"Ah..."

He sank to his knees, his legs impossibly weak as the bent underneath him with his scarf gently landing on his back like an illustration of mangled wings. Blood splattered the floor and he opened his mouth, gagging on air as he struggled to keep whatever contents of his stomach down.

He slumped against the wall staring mutely at the one fixed spot in the ceiling as the walls around him began to bleach away into oblivion, vanishing into space like the rest of him. He saw the all too cheerful faces of his former teammates, the ones he had betrayed, the ones he had left.

He coughed lightly, spitting out blood and looking at the floor. Dranzer's twisted and fused metal blades seemed like blue smudges against the stainless floor. If he got up right now, he could reach the locker rooms... maybe.

His whole form seemed to go limp as he let himself go, freeing himself of the obligations that chained him to this day. His mission incomplete though not for much longer, he let the mask fall as tears soaked his cheeks and trickled down his jaw where they landed on the torn scarf painting it pink and sky blue.

Dranzer rolled out of his hands though seemingly protesting as she spun weakly on the floor. She stopped in a position where they could see eye to eye, Kai smirked through looking back up at the ceiling as his vision swum like the whirlpool black that was Zeus.

"King of Darkness huh Suzaku...?" the bit beast glowed a soft red, gray and orange in response. Kai's smirk softened into a smile, tears continuously trekked their way down his face, melting away the shark fins.

If he concentrated hard enough, he could almost smell the snow and the storm that were his friends, his family. The roar of the crowd washed over him anew, or was he just listening to another replay of his life played backwards? Looking back up his vision blurred away in a shower of tears as his mouth parted softly.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry I pushed you so hard... I'm sorry... you deserve a better person than me... I don't deserve you... Suzaku..." tears came faster now, eons worth of pain disintegrating off his shoulders. The silver bangs hung limply caked with dry blood. Whatever bandaging he had possessed were all but gone hanging onto him by a mere thread as his whole posture drooped deeper, and deeper... "I'm sorry... Dranzer..."

The core of the crippled blade burned vermilion in objection as the last part lengthened out into wordless sentences of untold feelings. The blue blade began to crack suddenly from the outside, the hairline fractures extending to the heart of the bit. The few outside pieces fell apart but by then Kai was beyond the realm of being able to care.

'_Yuriy...' _

Last thoughts before the impending darkness. He kissed the air lightly, imagining that red haired Russian had been here today, to watch the results if not to see him.

'_Ai shiteru...' _

Kai pitched forward into the growing pool of crimson liquid as the the blue blade shattered in to pieces, the phoenix god already gone from the split fragments of blue and silver metal.

_And the pyres died down to ashes..._

-

Within the white walls of the hospital an indigo haired Russian kicked up a fuss, demanding the camera to be turned back at the victorious phoenix as the announcer began a brief introduction on BEGA's Garland.

Within the white walls of the hospital, behind the red cross and hundreds of windows that looked over the city, a redhead Russian lay on the bed beside his beast companion as the life support picked up an anomaly amongst his vital signs.

Red lashes fluttered, almost unnoticeable. The heart monitor beeped in accordance to the quickening pulse of the red wolf. Wolfborg glowed a soft silver to comfort his master for on the opposite side of the city, a phoenix fell, dying in his own brand of spice branches. And as the flames withered down to cold ashes, a lone tear fell, to mark the same passage they had taken when they had traveled from the eyes of a phoenix.


	9. Ch 9 Somewhere in the Distance

**A.C.:** Good to know that people are still reading this... hey, in the American version, what's Mr. Dickenson's first name? Hmm... normally I wouldn't update this for... like a half year... but I feel the need to finish it. Really odd for me but... prolly good for you ㄱㄱ must be mellowing in my old age. There used to be a time when I could go like a year without updating... I seem to have much trouble with tenses...

-

-

"He's not breathing"

Electricity surged all around them, courtesy of Apollo's Radiant Thunder attack. The gray and blond hair raised on hand but the third's, the slate blue and silver colored locks did not rise out of their tomb of drying blood to the dismay of the standing duo before them.

Even with Sergei's sharp eyes and Boris' near photographic memory, it had taken them long, too long of a time to find Kai. Too long of a time to search the grounds, too long of a time to find the right door among the other unmarked wood, too long of a time that by the time they had found him, he was laying face down on the floor.

The slate haired teen lay in the pool of his own blood with the remainders of what once had been Dranzer Metal Spiral speckling the surface. They can almost imagine the internal war the phoenix had waged with himself before slipping away. The walls have telltale signs of blood painted across its surface, the floor riddled with the crimson liquid. The wounds themselves had stopped bleeding into their sluggish closure but there was absolutely no rise and fall of the chest to indicate that the fallen phoenix was in anyway alive.

"Is he..."

"I don't know..."

The burly blond hoisted the smaller on to his back, wincing as the droplets of blood splattered down his vest and eventually onto his pants. Balcov abbey had nothing on them... There was an explosion of cheering from the wider end of the hall, it was time to go.

-

-

Yuriy sees but doesn't believe when he saw the flames erupt suddenly then fade away into smoke. He runs, ice trailing his footsteps as he sobs out his apologies, but the fire does not flicker back into existence.

A wolf with slabs of crystalline ice wings appear into view, the wolf gives off a howl to match the anguished one given off by his master.

-

-

Takao flinches as fists strike from below, bruising his jaw and possibly knocking out a tooth. Would someone please tell the Buddha wannabe that this was not a boxing match? The gold griffin roared over head, suffocated by the thick coils of Dragoon's body. He can hear his friends cheer him on through the crowd, only one person is missing, one that's made the most difference in his life.

'For you Kai.'

-

-

Boris takes a morbid satisfaction in tossing away the bloodied towel and clothing as Sergei finished tying the knots. Kai looked as if he was being prepared to be buried in a tomb, his skin all too pale from the loss of blood. Half his face is covered in bandages, the other half riddled with scratches and blue ink. Sergei hauls him back up onto his back; they're not certain what they're doing anymore.

"Don't die on me now Hiwatari."

The locker room is a perfect picture of carnage; blood is everywhere smeared across the floor in footprints as the three Russians leave.

-

-

The G-Revolutions watch in revulsion and horror as the locker room door opened to reveal a blood bath.

Rei kneels down, dipping his fingers tentatively into the red and bringing it up to his face. There's only one person with the scent of ash and snow mixed in, only one who could have bled this much and disappear without a trail. The one whom they had all inevitably failed in their foolish but gallant march to glory.

"Kai..."

-

-

Red eyes jerked open, then relaxed before blinking slowly.

"**_Sergei let me down." _**

The blond and the grayhead looked back towards the owner of the voice. Hiwatari Kai lay limp across Sergei's broad back but was staring unnervingly at them both. Tentatively the blond obeyed, a sick feeling winding itself in his stomach as Kai leaned backwards onto the power pole before attempting to stand up.

Red eyes flickered dully as he stood shakily on his two feet, flexing his bandaged hands and fingering the bandaged chest.

A shrill scream and a sky colored raptor burst free from Boris' blade, herding the two taller ones behind her back as darkness began to roll off of the slate haired blader. Kai looked up at the vivid crests of pink and blue as the falcon bit beast continued to scream obscenities at him, the remaining two Russian confused as hell as they tried to bypass the razor wings.

"**_Don't bother Falborg,"_** Kai spoke in a raspy voice, so unlike his own that they began to doubt that the slate haired teen had spoke up at all. **_"I'm not interested... in them..."_** but the falcon refused to relent, backing up along with her master and the blond in tow. Sergei drew a deep breath and shuddered,

"_Kuro Suzaku_..."

-

-

"...There will be a tie-breaker between BEGA's Brooklyn Vs. G-Revolution's Takao tomorrow, stay tuned for more..."

-

-

Ivan is pacing the room like a caged animal when they return. There's shock in the eyes of the snake when they set path on the river of red upon Sergei's clothing but a cold, calculated look enters when he concludes that it couldn't possibly the older male's.

"What happened?" Ivan hissed, a rare display of anger from him. Boris hangs his head, turning away. Sergei gently replies,

"_Kuro Suzaku_"

-

-

Kai approaches, fully healed and with the same arrogant gait. Brooklyn freezes as a thread of darkness appears behind him, only turn into wings that are marked as those of the dark phoenix. The redhead knows, he had seen, what he had imagined as two were true. There was light and dark, the same light and dark they were supposed to present. The light and dark he now knew not himself and Kai but Kai and someone else entirely. He wasn't sure who the other was yet.

The unknown factor brought in many possibilities, it also took away his god like visions. Fear was something unknown to him, a mystery he had no desire to experience. The image of the phoenix was used against him for a reason but why...?

"It's okay," Zeus appeared by his side as the slate haired Russian spoke, shattering any illusions that had been placed on him. "Don't blame yourself because nobody taught you anything different. Up until now you've bladed using all your natural ability and that was good enough to win." The darkness looped around him and he knew...

"Hitoshi," but the words never made it out his throat for Zeus took over him, berating the green eyed blader for the momentary weakness.

-

-

What's a friend when there is a world to save? At least that is what Takao carves in his heart as he trains. When Mingming and Moses come to ambush them at the dojo, the navy haired teen isn't surprised. When Kyoujyu presses the new Dragoon within his hands, there's no heart in it, only duty. His brother is gone, unwilling to come back, he has a world to save tomorrow and he sleeps. He can only dream of what will happen.

'_Kai'_

-

-

He is standing but he does not know why. He is looking up at Takao when he suddenly realizes that he has died.

'_I died...' _the thought makes him faint but whatever forces that revived him keeps him standing. Keeps his legs locked upon a solitary pillar as he keeps his arms around himself. He does not need to look beneath the blood stained bandages to know, he can already feel the cold caress of _Kuro Suzaku_ on his thighs settling into the bone. Only the knowledge of his second chance, of Yuriy and _Suzaku_ keeps him warm.

Already his right hand tingles with heat of _Suzaku_'s revival, _Seiryu_ above bears down upon Zeus, Takao tries to hold on to the redhead and fails as he is pushed away. And the sky turns still darker as buildings are lifted into the air and they are launched into violet clouds and into the nightmare of this match.

Screams all around as people were flung about, holy beasts the only defense within the fortress of concrete and steel beams.

"Just remember Takao... I'll be the one to defeat you..."

Brooklyn screamed in pain and momentarily Kai's eyes flickered upwards, before bringing them down and sweeping them across the his former teammates and Hitoshi, who held his gaze briefly before braking it and looking away in shame.

-

-

They say that when your face to face with death, your whole life flashes through your eyes. While moderately assured that he would not die, Yuriy could not help but feel grief at the death of the Russian phoenix consumed by the black fires of his own making. Forced through revival of unknown explanations and suddenly appear, wounds and all, on the stadium watching Takao save the world. Again.

He was asking himself why the handsome youth had not turned away from him already, why not run into the open arms of the dragon tamer and leave him be. But he knew in his heart that it would be impossible for him to let the phoenix go.

He buried his face in Wolborg's fur, weaving his fingers within the silver dappled strands as the pink tongue washed him tenderly as the proceedings played out. As Japan was blown into bits with his, **_his_** Kai in the middle.

Wolborg whimpered, bidding the aqua eyed Russian to watch as Takao called upon his friends for more strength.

Yuriy made his choice, he would help Takao on one condition. Fountain of water flew forth, shielding Zeus in transparent curves. He commanded the winged wolf to lend the dragon his strength, only if Takao would keep the phoenix safe. Only if... Takao succeeded in what he had failed.

The mask came off freely as he awoke. Hands in the direction Wolborg had tore off into, the screams of names dying at the back of his throat as he was harshly pulled back into reality and to the continuous sound of his heartbeat, magnified thousandfold in lines of green.

Chairman Gogoro Daitenji and Ivan stood, jaws a slack before the awoken wolf.

-

-

Lightning lanced across, _Beihu_ had joined the fray, galloping across the sky in a blur of green and gold before burying his saber fangs in the Greek god's flanks.

"Takao!" _Gembu's_ outcry was joined with a jet of water, forming an arch over Zeus. Time enough for Takao to calm Brooklyn down. The burning on his hand persisted and the water over them all froze in a field of ice before raining shards of crystalline snow on the rampaging god below. Kai knew it was time,

_Seiryu_ flew, flashing shifting colors of the rainbow. Jaws wide open for the throat of the black centaur.

"_SUZAKU!_"


	10. Ch 10 Worth Fighting for

A.C.: You know, the bit beasts that represent the four gods of Japan have names like Seiryu, Suzaku, Gembu, and Beihu. It's their blades that actually have the names Dragoon, Drigger and so on and so forth. (Or at least, that's what I've seen so far) But what about Daichi's Gaia Dragoon? Hitoshi's Metal Drigger, and the cyber series from V-Force?

Oh yeah, this may just be the screw up between translations but, does anybody remember the episode where Wyatt tried to fight against Kai? He used Cyber Dranzer right? Ok well, is it just me or did he not call it Cyber Dranzer? Think he called it Digital Bird for some reason -worries-

-

-

Kai idly wondered why he of all people had been summoned before the white god. But then, he needn't have wondered. He already knew the answer after all.

Brooklyn blinked, oblivious to the chaos outside. Takao had only managed to scratch the surface, a crack where the flames could seep in. Unwittingly Brooklyn had called upon the Russian phoenix.

"Let it go..." Kai was in front of him, arms crossed looking condescendingly down at him. "No use holding on to it. You haven't lost yet, not to him. Stand up again, don't let him win." The spell of Zeus broke, Brooklyn stood up, startled at the shorter Russian with crimson eyes.

Green eyes softened, gloved fingers reached out to touch the wounded eye.

"Just give me one thing..." Brooklyn said faintly, tentative fingers leaving the blue finned cheeks. Kai scowled crossing his arms,

"Pulling you out is one thing, but if you're asking for a date you-" whatever Kai was about to say to Brooklyn was lost as the redhead's lips covered the Russian's own. The green eyed youth smiled at the touch of burn on the softer pink, tasting it before backing away.

Already, the outline of Zeus was shimmering, fading, collapsing back into the bit as the world settled down. The broken buildings settled into dust, people cheered for they were alive. Living cheered, but the dead... stayed dead.

Kai wasn't there anymore, but he understood. Grateful for something he fully didn't understand.

Takao held out his hand, issuing a friendly challenge. People milled around, happy faces pressing against each other. Bladers from other teams, adults, and others. Didn't they care about the people still trapped in the buildings? What about those under the concrete dish?

But he spun the blade anyways as Takao did the same.

Brooklyn understood.

Takao had saved the world.

-

-

Typical cliché ending as usual. The sun came up, the survivors milling around the two bladers. Wasn't anyone going to clean this up? Yuriy stumbled after the former Chairman of BBA, struggling not to use the crutches as makeshift wings as he tripped over twisted bars and crumbled concrete.

The old man smiled at him knowingly before stopping. The others took off earlier to look for Balcov, a mission was still a mission. Even though he was more or less incapacitated. A flicker at the corner of his eyes, he looked up, his aqua eyes widening as he did so.

Hiwatari Kai stands proudly upon a lone pillar, hair caught in a breeze while looking down at him. Their eyes meet, Yuriy holds his breath. Momentarily, the redhead is afraid of the reaction from the slate haired phoenix but the feeling passes when a shaky smile is presented. Yuriy looks away, for now that would be enough, after all, they had all the time in the world to make up didn't they?

-

-

Pride

Proud at his brother's feats, proud at his brother's faults. But what about his? Beyblading had never been for him, perhaps analyzing and strategies, but never the actual thing. He was more at home digging with his father than babysitting teenagers through their hormonal rages and trauma. He was more adept at trying to figure out which artifact would have been used for what than managing a team of misfits.

He took out a yellowing photograph. Of him as a younger person and his younger brother...

Another lifetime, another life

Perhaps he would return to Takao, but for now he had to... he wanted to leave.

He stared at Balcov, wondering how a person could do so much yet do so little at the same time. How one careless actions by this man topple the starting point of a line of dominoes that reached its end.

"You..." the gravelly voice had croaked, "you did this!" the bony hands wrapped around his throat, choking him into submission. Hitoshi was not surprised, but he did not pull away. But he knew that it wasn't he that ruined the plans over and over again.

-

-

The darkness ached with need. _Suzaku _had come back to him to heal, only to discover to her dismay that it was too late.

'_No never too late...'_

He had seen Yuriy, seen the handsome face marred by the scratches that seemed to enhance the beauty. Seen how Yuriy smiled back in reaction to their gaze before looking away appreciatively at the scenery before them.

Yes was beautiful wasn't it? And to think, he was going to get hell from Boris for trying to save the world.

His heart ached. He was aware that he hadn't had much time left. Just enough for one last kill then be at rest. The heat of_ Suzaku's _feathers nipped him harshly on the stomach before the chills from _Kuro Suzaku _replaced that feeling in dread.

-

-

He was the wind, he could feel it whispering against his ears.

This wasn't over, not by a long shot. Any idiot with some form of connection to his or her holy beast would realize that there was trouble brewing further beyond. Taking down Brooklyn was nothing, it was something else.

The blue feathered falcon flew overhead, too fast for the naked eye. They would have to find Balcov soon, or being the slimy worm he was, he would slink back into the earth.

'_Hope Kai gets to him first_,' he amused himself with this thought, pausing to rub the painful ache gathered in his knee caps.

The sky was blue, not one of the calm after the storm but rather the one before it.

-

-

A flash of metal and Balcov screaming as he was thrown to the ground, one hand missing the other attempting to stem the flow of blood. Hitoshi stood over him eyes flashing, Metal Drigger ready to pounce on the former dictator of Balcov Abbey.

Balcov scrambled to get away, crawling away on his one good hand until he hit something from behind.

Kai looked ominously down at him before letting out a cruel smirk.

"You!" Balcov hissed, momentarily forgetting the pain of his missing right hand.

"Me," the slate haired phoenix purred, eyes straying towards the immobile trainer of BEGA. "Did you think I'd let you get away? But I see that," Kai stepped on the ruined stump for a good measure, eyes opening wider in delight at the screams that followed. "Hitoshi got to you first."

"Kai I..." the blue haired man stepped forward, reaching out for the younger.

"Save your words for the fool," Kai spat, shadows rising from him like ribbons. The two men's eyes widened in shock at this new development, they could see the hazy outlines of wings solidifying over the Hiwatari heir's back.

With a practiced snarl, Metal Drigger leaped towards Kai, its antromorphic body springing forward with its tail streaming behind. The four clawed paw shot forward towards the teens face, Kai brought his hands up and knocked it away. The metal beast collapsed with a pained howl, dissolving into thin air. But the darkness around Kai had disappeared upon contact.

Balcov took this chance to rise, to get away. With a frightened cry, he tore down the debris littered path, away from the mental battle of metal and fire.

A shot rang out, one that tore into the purple haired scalp and exited out the face. The terror of Balcov abbey was no more, the violet haired Russian fell, never to rise again.

"Who are you then? _Kuro Suzaku_?" Kai gave out a harsh laughter, "Not exactly dear Hitoshi. But I'm sure you knew _that_ already." pulling his shades out from his back pocket, he put them on. Wistfully looking at the slim form of Kai before walking away.

"Not going to visit your sweet, darling brother?" The Russian sneered, Hitoshi gave him a sideways glance.

"According to you, I don't have to."

-

-

In the end Sergei had found the body of their nightmares.

Yuriy let Wolfborg chew on it briefly before leaving it.

They were torn, bruised, but free from their misguided nightmares.

Free...

-

-

"Was it worth it?" Boris asked quietly as Falborg rolled in the air, her ever weary hawk eyes trained upon their every move.

"Hmm?" Kai stretched, cracking his knuckles before wincing.

"This," Boris pointed, sweeping his hands across Kai's vision. "All this, was it worth it?"

"I don't know," mumbled the slate haired teen, "it kinda came with the package. Saving the world really isn't my thing." he tapped the bandages surrounding his chest.

"Yes it hurts doesn't it?" leered Boris, his hair playfully ruffled in the breeze. "So how does it feel to disobey strict orders not to go out there?"

Kai rolled his eyes,

"Painful, thanks for reminding me."

There was silence in which Falborg went into a spectacular drive before pulling up just before the line of trees.

"Show off," muttered Boris. Kai let out a rare smile, thankful for the lack of subject on their special 'mission'.

"How's Yuriy?" Boris rolled his eyes laying on the carpet of grass.

"Fine, a little mopey. I'm sure he's waiting for you to ask him that yourself however..." Boris strayed, sneaking a look at the phoenix wielder before continuing. "He's gotten break due to his injuries, so have I since I'm ordered off my feet until my right kneecap heals. Sergei's ok, just a little rest. You're... well you, and I'm sorry to say that as of now, Ivan's the fittest out of all of us."

"God help us," said Kai dryly.

"Amen." Boris looked at the phoenix, "you sure about letting us in your house?"

"Wouldn't have asked if I wasn't."

"I was more concerned about you and Yuriy." it hadn't been just the falcon's imagination, Kai briefly froze at the mention of Yuriy.

"What about him?" Kai asked, a little forced than usual. Boris gave him a pointed look, Kai sighed. "I don't know, not since..." Kai pursed his lips, Boris rolled onto his stomach.

"Care to tell me what happened?"

Kai sat up, looking over the bend of the river where the G-Revolutions were trying to fish and failing miserably.

"Later, take others to my house will you?"

Boris looked concerned before shrugging.

"Sure."

-

-

"So it's over?" Takao's peevish voice broke over his thoughts. He opened his eyes in annoyance before remembering that this would be the last time.

"No," Kai replied dully, flicking his hair out of his eyes. "Nothing's ever truly over." Takao looked puzzled at this vague response before pulling out his Dragoon blade. The navy haired blader beamed at the Russian before rising and holding out a free hand.

"Wanna blade?" Kai refused the hand, rising from the velvety grass on his own accord.

"Not particularly," responded Kai, brushing off the emerald strands. "but you'll drag me into it anyways." Kai tossed a blue blade then caught it in midair, Dranzer V, the only surviving generation of Kai's blades.

"3"

The two bladers looked around, coming face to face with the rest of the G-Revolutions as they gathered around chanting the immortal words of a battle.

"2"

Smirking slightly, Kai attached his blade to a launcher.

"1"

Takao extended his body and aimed.

"Let it rip!"

"Come on Dragoon!"

"Dranzer!"

-

-

A.C.: here ends '**King of Darkness**'. From its birth in 04 to its finish here today, I thank you reviewers for keeping me going. Yes... sorry for extending mere 10 chapters over a period of two years. Bad Ace, bad. Well tragically, unless Japan decides to dish out movies, the Beyblade series ended with the G-Revolutions. AKA we can't watch Kai kick ass anymore --

Ahem, well thanks everyone for reading this all the way through. Uhh I don't have anything to say... I might have a sequel out, might. . ;; ehh, bye, Kai loves you


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